Abstract
Background/Objectives: Earth's crust contains heavy metals as natural ingredients. Heavy metals create a major health problem for the humans because of their persistence, highly toxic nature and tendency to accumulate in the ecosystem. The main aim of this study was to measure the concentration of heavy metals in the locally made food containers at three different temperatures, using various simulating solvents as per guidelines Bureau of Indian standard (BIS), by using Atomic Absorption spectroscopy (AAS).
Methods/Statistical analysis: The estimation of heavy metals such as Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mn, Fe, Pb and Zn of plastic leachates were detected by using Atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results were expressed statistically using mean ± standard deviation of triplicate reading of each sample and corresponding control solution. The dunnett comparison were made to assess the level of significance by applying one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using computer based software ‘Graph Pad PRISM-5'.
Findings: The level of migration of heavy metals above the permitted limit was in the following pattern:
• At Elevated Condition (60±2˚C for 2 h):
Pb(1.9-1.002ppm) > Cu(1.61-1.02ppm) > Ni(1.31-1.01ppm) > Zn(1.02-1.006ppm) > Mn(1.01-1.001ppm).
• At Ambient Condition (25±2˚C for 24 h):
Pb(1.9-1.01ppm) > Cu(1.61-1.01ppm) > Ni(1.31-1.01ppm) in S3, S5, S2, S4 > Mn(1.01-1.001ppm) >Zn(1.002ppm). Ni(1.01ppm) > Cu(1.009-1.003ppm) > Pb(1.007ppm) > Zn(1.001ppm).
• At Refrigerated Condition (4±1˚C for 72 h):
Ni(1.01ppm) in S2 > Cu(1.009-1.003ppm) in S4, S5, S2 > Pb(1.007ppm) inS1 > Zn(1.001ppm) in S1.
The results show that the amount of migration of heavy metals from food packaging containers followed the pattern: Elevated condition > Ambient condition > Refrigerated condition.
Novelty/Applications: This research aims to obtain a better understanding of locally made food packaging plastics having no specification of additives and their related potential hazards.