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Migration Processes of Metal Elements from Carbon Steel Cylinders to Food Gases
Author(s) -
Tassi Franco,
Capecchiacci Francesco,
Vaselli Orlando
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
packaging technology and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.365
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1099-1522
pISSN - 0894-3214
DOI - 10.1002/pts.2069
Subject(s) - carbon fibers , metal , inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry , detection limit , environmental chemistry , chemistry , carbon dioxide , metallurgy , mass spectrometry , materials science , chromatography , composite material , organic chemistry , composite number
This study is aimed to provide a protocol for sampling and analysis of metal elements migrating from carbon steel cylinders, used for gas storage and distribution, to food gases, i.e. those gases, such as CO 2 , N 2 and O 2 , employed by food and beverage industries. The concentrations of 23 selected elements, analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, in the three food gases collected from steel cylinders after a storage period of 50 days, were re‐calculated considering (a) the initial concentrations (i.e. the concentrations of these elements in food gases before being packaged in carbon steel cylinders) and (b) a migration process of 5 years that proceeds in time following a linear trend. Computed data were compared with the limit concentrations for mineral waters (CEE/CEEA/CE no. 83, 03‐11‐1998; D.Lgs no. 3, 2001; D.M. 29‐12‐2003), considering that the quantity of CO 2 commonly added to 1 L of mineral water is 5 g. Although no reference values indicating the concentration limits of metal contaminants in food gases are currently promulgated, the results of this comparison have evidenced that the highest concentrations of the most abundant elements among those selected for the test, i.e. Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb, are up to 4 orders of magnitude lower that the previously cited limits. This suggests that the effects of migration of contaminants from carbon steel cylinders do not have a significant influence on the quality of food gases, independently on the type of food gas and carbon steel composition. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.