Migration of antimony from polyethylene terephthalate bottles to mineral water: Comparison between test conditions proposed by Brazil and the European Union

Abstract

This work evaluated the Sb content in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles of mineral water, as well as the migration of Sb, according to the conditions established by Brazilian and European Union (EU) legislation. The total Sb content in the PET bottles was determined by the mineralization of the packaging followed by quantification by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The migration of Sb from the bottle to the mineral water was carried out after the contact conditions established by Brazilian and EU legislation (40 ◦C for 10 days and 60 ◦C for 10 days, respectively). The migrated Sb content was determined directly in the solution, after pre-reduction with L-cysteine, using an ICP-OES coupled with a hydride generator. All evaluated packages showed Sb levels ranging from 173 mg kg− 1 to 253 mg kg− 1 . The migration of Sb to the mineral water after 10 days at 40 ºC in contact with PET bottles was lower than the limit of quantification and after contact at 60 ºC for 10 days it was between 1.59 and 4.42 µg L− 1 . The highest contact temperature established by the EU favored Sb migration. However, all Sb migration results are within the limits established by Brazilian and EU legislation.