Characterization of commercially available coffee filter papers

Abstract

Abstract Commercially available coffee filter papers were evaluated for extractable materials to determine differences between chlorine bleached, peroxide beached and unbleached products. Organic species were determined by initial Sohxlet extraction followed by GC/MS analysis for semi‐volatile organics, dibenzofurans and dioxins. Inorganic species were initially extracted with heated water. Representative inorganics were determined either by atomic absorbtion spectroscopy or ion selective electrodes as the method of analysis. No direct relationship between bleaching method and the presence of halo‐genated materials in the final filter product was observed. Only in one cases was a single dioxin isomer detected. Three semi‐volatile species not consistent with natural products were detected in any of the filter papers. Both a chlorine bleached and unbleached paper were found to contained a single brominated species whereas tributyl phosphate, a plasticizer for cellulose esters and plastics was found in a sin...