Development of an in-house method for the incorporation of model migrants in polyethylene films and determination of diffusion constants in food

Abstract

Two methods were tested and compared for the additivation of low density polyethylene (LDPE). The aim was to obtain highly contaminated plastic films to enable the study of migration (diffusion and partition phenomena). One of the methods involved immersion of low density polyethylene (LDPE) films in a concentrated solution of the selected substances. The other method involved achieving close contact of plastic films with a polyethylene wax contaminated with the selected compounds. The PE-wax method provided better results as regards the final concentration and homogeneity of the contaminants in the plastic films (deviations between replicates for each plastic film was lower than 10% for both migrants tested). This method was therefore considered suitable for preparing a homogeneous additive release system. Finally, to test the applicability of the method, concentration profiles were studied in chocolate spread placed in contact with the contaminated films, and diffusion coefficients were estimated in this foodstuff. Estimated diffusion coefficients were 4.6 × 10−07 cm2/s for DPBD and 3.2 × 10−07 cm2/s for triclosan in the same conditions.