Introduction of a method to determine the hexavalent chromium concentration in food packaging and its components, destined to landfill

• Grant number: 08/04258-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2008
• End date: February 28, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Silvia Tondella Dantas
• Grantee: Carolina Melo Moreno
• Host Institution: Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Due to the fact that chromium in the hexavalent form is harmful to humans, the purpose of this study is the determination of this ion in food packaging samples which are submitted to disposal in landfills. Some materials like aluminium and tinplate are not submitted to this verification, because of their manufacture stages, that make hexavalent chromium availability impossible. Some other materials must be controlled concerning the presence of the element, mainly in recycled materials packages. Usual procedures of sample digestion make use of concentrated acids to dissolve the materials of study. Occur that acid reagents can transform the oxidation state Cr(VI) to Cr(III), possibly causing a wrong result, different of the real concentration in the package. This study proposes the utilization of sodium carbonate as an alkaline extraction solution of hexavalent chromium in different kinds of packagings such as the cellulosic ones, plastics and metallics as well as in pigments, replacing habitual sample digestion reagents and maintaining the species in study. Two analytical techniques, UV-Vis Spectrophotometry and ICP emission spectrometric method, will be used for the Cr(VI) quantification. (AU)