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Styrene monomer migration as monitored by purge and trap gas chromatography and sensory analysis for polystyrene containers
Author(s) -
DURST GREGORY L.,
LAPERLE EDWARD A.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1990.tb06800.x
Subject(s) - ethylbenzene , styrene , polystyrene , chemistry , chromatography , gas chromatography , flavor , monomer , toluene , polymer , organic chemistry , food science , copolymer
A plastic‐like off‐flavor in food packaged in multilayered polystyrene containers was determined to be predominately caused by residual styrene monomer, in conjunction with ethylbenzene, that had diffused into the food product. Purge and trap gas chromatography was used to measure μg/L (ppb) concentrations of styrene monomer that migrated from containers over time. The flavor panel used in this study was able to detect the presence of styrene in apple juice at a concentration of 50 μg/L. A mixture of styrene and ethylbenzene was found to lower the concentration at which an off‐flavor could be detected to 25 μg/L. Deionized water stored in containers at various temperatures was analyzed for styrene and ethylbenzene by purge and trap gas chromatography, and the initial data fitted a simple diffusion model showing that styrene pickup was proportional to the square root of time.