[Residual chemicals in natural rubber products for food contact use]

The residues of additives and other chemicals were investigated by GC/MS in natural rubber products for food contact, which included nipples, packing, gloves and a net for ham. The packings and gloves contained 980-6,570 micrograms/g of vulcanization accelerators, such as zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate, zinc diethyldithiocarbamate (EZ), zinc di-n-buthyldithiocarbamate (BZ) and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole. Some samples contained BHT, Irganox 1076 and Yoshinox 2246R as antioxidants; dibutyl phthalate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate as plasticizers; and palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitamide, stearamide and hydrocarbons as lubricants. Two unknown peaks were identified as stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol, and others were estimated to be fucosterol, oryzanol and alpha-sitosterol. These sterols are widely distributed in plants, so their origin was presumed to be the rubber plants. The sterols were detected at a level of 340-2,940 micrograms/g in all natural rubber samples. A migration test was carried out for some samples. No chemicals were released into water, 4% acetic acid or 20% ethanol at 60 degrees C for 30 min, though BHT, Yoshinox 2246R, EZ, BZ and sterols were released into n-heptane at 25 degrees C for 60 min.