Di(isononyl)cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate Research Articles

Plasticizers in PVC Toys and Childcare Products: What Succeeds the Phthalates? Market Survey 2007

In 1999, the EU banned the use of certain phthalates as plasticizers for toys and childcare products. To check the plasticizers actually used, in the first half of 2007 toys and childcare articles consisting of plasticized PVC were collected at retail by the official control authorities in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Extracts were analyzed directly by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection or mass spectrometry, but also after transesterification in order to detect larger molecular mass components and confirm the structures identified by direct analysis through the corresponding transesterification products. In 252 samples from 172 products, 17 different compounds were identified and determined quantitatively. Nearly half of the samples contained diisononyl-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH) as the principal plasticizer. In second place were the phthalates (in 58 samples at concentrations above 4% w/w plastic, 23% of all samples), whereby they were frequently found in cloths (pinafores) and shoes, but seldom in baby articles. Of the other plasticizers used, all but two are approved for food applications or in the petitioning process: diisobutyl phthalate, found in 6 samples at 4–35%, and tri-(2-ethylhexyl) trimellitate, observed in 3 samples. Both are not considered suitable replacements for the banned phthalates.

Substitution of di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate by di(isononyl) cyclohexane‐1,2‐dicarboxylate as a plasticizer for industrial vinyl plastisol formulations

AbstractThe use of plasticizers with low environmental impact is one of the most interesting research fields in the plasticizer additives industry because of the possible toxicity of o‐phthalates. Among the wide variety of new plasticizers, it is important to note the use of di(isononyl) cyclohexane‐1,2‐dicarboxylate (DINCH), which shows a structure similar to the most commonly used o‐phthalates, that is, diisononyl phthalate and di(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). It is necessary to evaluate the processing conditions (temperature and curing time) regarding the mechanical properties to study the possibilities for substituting conventional plasticizers and to determine whether changes in the processing conditions are needed for use in industrial applications. In this work, we carried out a comparative study of the optimum curing conditions and mechanical performance of DEHP and DINCH as plasticizers. The obtained results show that the viscosities of DINCH and DEHP‐based plastisols were similar. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the flexible poly(vinyl chloride) obtained from DINCH‐based plastisols were very interesting for industrial applications. All of this favored the substitution of DEHP by DINCH as plasticizer for flexible poly‐ (vinyl chloride). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 1215–1220, 2007

PVC plasticizers/additives migrating from the gaskets of metal closures into oily food: Swiss market survey June 2005

Foods with at least a few percent of free oil packed in glass jars with metal closures were analyzed for migration of additives, primarily plasticizers, from the gasket of the lid. One hundred and fifty-eight samples were collected in June 2005, i.e., some 10 months after the problem of excessive migration into oily food was communicated to the industry. In a first step, the composition of the additives in the gaskets was determined. Then the compounds found in the lid were measured in the jar content. Sixty-four percent of the gaskets contained epoxidized soy bean oil (ESBO) as principal plasticizer, 22% a phthalate, and 6% substantial amounts of di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA). Concentrations in the food reached 1,170 mg/kg for ESBO, 270 mg/kg for diisononyl phthalate (DINP), 740 mg/kg for diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), 825 mg/kg for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and 180 mg/kg for DEHA. Further, elevated concentrations of plasticizers not authorized by the EU were found: diisononyl-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate (DINCH), 2-ethylhexyl palmitate and stearate, as well as epoxidized linseed oil (ELO). The few samples complying with the European rules contained little or well emulsified oil; some others were probably of very recent production (beginning of shelf life). It is concluded that there was still no lid reliably complying with the European rules (EU and national legislation).