Multi-elemental analysis of non-food packaging materials by inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry

Abstract

Commercial non-food packaging materials of four different matrices (paper, low density polyethylene (LDPE), polyethylene-polypropylene (PE-PP) and high density polyethylene (HDPE)) were examined for the content of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sb, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb and U. The examined samples (0.17–0.35 g) were digested in HNO 3 and H 2O 2 (papers, LDPE and PE-PP) and in HNO 3, H 2SO 4 and H 2O 2 (HDPE) using microwave assisted high pressure system. The inductively coupled plasma-time of flight-mass spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS) has been employed as the detection technique. All measurements were carried out using internal standardization. Yttrium and rhodium (50 ng g −1) were used as internal standards. The detection and quantification limits obtained were in the range of 0.005 ng g −1 ( 52 Cr ) to 0.51 ng g −1 ( 66 Zn ) and 0.015 μg g −1 ( 52 Cr ) to 2.02 μg g −1 ( 66 Zn ) of dry mass, respectively. The evaluated contents (mg kg −1) of particular elements in the examined materials were as follows: 0.22–219; <1.05–9.03; 1.25–112; <2.02–449; <0.98–<1.30; <0.36–2.06; <0.29–113; <0.22–44.1; <0.06–57.4; <0.66–<0.88; <0.08–0.24; <0.13–1222 and <0.08–0.44 for Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Mo, Cd, Sb, Ba, Hg, Tl, Pb and U, respectively.