The characterization and influence factors of semi-volatile compounds from mechanically recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) by combining GC×GC-TOFMS and chemometrics

Siliang Wu; Xuefeng Wu; Hanke Li; Dan Li; Jianguo Zheng; Qinbao Lin; Cristina Nerín; Huaining Zhong; Ben Dong

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129583

The characterization and influence factors of semi-volatile compounds from mechanically recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) by combining GC×GC-TOFMS and chemometrics

J Hazard Mater. 2022 Oct 5:439:129583. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129583. Epub 2022 Jul 12.

Authors

Siliang Wu¹, Xuefeng Wu¹, Hanke Li¹, Dan Li¹, Jianguo Zheng¹, Qinbao Lin², Cristina Nerín³, Huaining Zhong⁴, Ben Dong⁵

Affiliations

¹ National Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Material (Guangdong), Guangzhou Customs Technology Center, Guangzhou 510075, China.
² Key Laboratory of Product Packaging and Logistics, Packaging Engineering Institute, Jinan University, Zhuhai 519070, China.
³ Department of Analytical Chemistry, GUIA Group, I3A, EINA, University of Zaragoza, María de Luna 3, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
⁴ National Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Material (Guangdong), Guangzhou Customs Technology Center, Guangzhou 510075, China. Electronic address: marco.zhong@iqtc-fcm.com.
⁵ National Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Material (Guangdong), Guangzhou Customs Technology Center, Guangzhou 510075, China. Electronic address: dongb@iqtc-fcm.com.

PMID: 35872450
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129583

Abstract

A non-targeted method was developed for screening the semi-volatile compounds of different mechanically recycled PET intended for food contact materials. The data was further analyzed by multiple chemometrics methods to obtain the difference level, and the potential influence factors were investigated. The results showed that total dissolution with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry was more effective than other reported methods. Based on the difference level, 97 compounds were characterized into 4 levels. 1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidinone originating from organic solvent was recognized as level IV and could be determined as the primary difference indicator. The contaminant is mainly attributed to the residuum derived from non-food consumer products. The specific types of contaminants and process parameters of the recycling, such as moisture content, properties of rPET, and temperature, were the potential key factors affecting the presence of semi-volatile compounds of mechanically recycled rPET.

Keywords: Difference level; Influencing factor; RPET; Semi-volatile compounds; TDs-GC×GC-QTOF-MS.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Chemometrics
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / methods
Polyethylene Terephthalates* / chemistry
Recycling
Volatile Organic Compounds* / analysis

Substances

Polyethylene Terephthalates
Volatile Organic Compounds