Extraction of Additives from Plastics

Introduction

It is important to know the composition of polymer materials from both quality and safety perspectives. Polymer materials are a staple in our world, and we have contact with these materials on a daily basis. From packaging to cell phone cases to medical devices, polymer materials are everywhere.

The performance of polymers can be affected by the amount of antioxidants and erucamide slip additives present in their forumlations. As manufacturers and consumers, it is important that we have confidence in the quality of our polymer products. Furthermore, from a safety perspective, it is important to ensure that no contaminants are leaching from these materials to which we are continuously exposed. The ability to extract additives from polymers with a quick and simple process is crucial to the polymers industry.

The extraction of additives from polymers is difficult for a number of reasons. The notably low melting point of the polymer makes it difficult to extract in a heated system. The polymer must be transformed to extract but not melted. Reaching that balance can be challenging. Furthermore, some traditional extraction techniques, such as soxhlet and sonication, can be timeconsuming and require large volumes of solvent.

The EDGE is capable of producing a cooled extract that is ready for analysis in less than 20 minutes, using no more than 40 mL of solvent. The EDGE is also capable of cleaning the system of plastic additives, mitigating the risk of carryover.