Improved method for determination of volatile nitrosamines in baby bottle rubber nipples and pacifiers

A method is described for determining volatile nitrosamines in baby bottle rubber nipples and pacifiers. The method consists of overnight soaking of the sample with dichloromethane in the presence of propyl gallate, an inhibitor for artifactual formation of nitrosamines; extraction with dichloromethane using an ambient temperature column procedure; distillation from aqueous alkali; extraction of the aqueous distillate with dichloromethane and concentration of the extract using a Kuderna-Danish concentrator; and final analysis by gas chromatography with detection by thermal energy analyzer. Major improvements over other published methods include a simpler extraction, a more efficient distillation and concentration to minimize losses, and incorporation of propyl gallate inhibitor as well as of a test to detect unsuitable dichloromethane solvent that otherwise might lead to artifactual formation. The method is highly accurate (approximately 90% recovery) and precise (av. CV = 4.7% at greater than 9 ppb levels) and is applicable to determination of nitrosamines in both rubber- and plastic-based products.