Quantification of overall migration levels from poly (vinyl chloride) films: effects of gamma and electron beam radiation

This study investigated the overall migration from Poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) polymer films into food simulants, after gamma irradiation ( 60 Co) or electron beam radiation. PVC polymer films containing di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA) and epoxidized soybean oil were stored under controlled temperature (24 ± 1 o C) and moisture (50 ± 5 %) for 2 days. These films were supported on a stainless-steel plates and specimens were subjected to ionizing radiation treatment with gamma radiation from a 60 Co source (dose rate = 20 Gy/min) or electron beam radiation (dose rate = 120 Gy/min) at absorbed doses equal to 0, 10, 25 and 50 kGy. Overall packing migrants were evaluated on different food simulants (distilled water, 3 % w/v acetic acid and 10 % v/v ethanol) as a function of time (24, 48 and 72 hours). Results of overall migration levels showed that the treatment with radiation doses above 10 kGy promoted a significant increase of the overall packing migrants levels into all aqueous food simulants (p < 0.05).  Overall migration levels were also enhanced with increasing exposure time to food simulants.