Determination of benzene residues in recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) by dynamic headspace-gas chromatography.

Abstract

A dynamic headspace-gas chromatography (HS/GC) method was developed to quantitate benzene in recycled PETE material derived from 21 PETE beverage bottles. The analytical system consisted of a purge-and-trap apparatus which was interfaced directly with a gas chromatograph/flame ionization detector. Cryofocusing and non-cryofocusing GC systems were used. The technique was applied to spiked PETE test samples which were prepared at various benzene concentrations ranging from 100 ppb to 117 ppm. The initial spiked benzene concentration in the PETE test samples was determined gravimetrically. The HS/GC technique was limited by the slow desorption rate of benzene from the PETE matrix; as a result, multipurges were performed at 60 degrees C. Regression analysis was done on the multipurge data to develop a desorption model which would predict the total amount of benzene in the PETE. The calculated results agreed with the experimental recoveries within +/- 10%. Recovery depended on the initial benzene level in the PETE and ranged from 70 to 90% after the first five purges.