Characteristics of heavy metal migration from virgin PET and recycled PET plastic bottles in beverage products

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most commonly used packaging materials for beverages. The increased use of PET has contributed to the rise in plastic waste. Recycled PET (R-PET) is a solution to address this environmental issue. This study aims to determine the migration level of Pb, Cd, Hg, and Sb in PET bottles, evaluate the effect of plastic types (virgin PET and R-PET) and testing conditions (according to BPOM following national regulation and EU following international regulation) on the migration from heavy metals into food. Sixty test samples of virgin PET and R-PET bottles, obtained from four packaging industries in Indonesia, were analyzed for Cd, Hg, Pb, and Sb concentrations using ICP-MS. The results showed that the highest concentrations of heavy metal migration for Cd and Pb were in a virgin PET sample according to BPOM, respectively, at 28 ± 2 ng/L and 636 ± 22 ng/L. Meanwhile, the highest concentrations of Hg and Sb were in a R-PET sample according to EU, respectively, at 469 ± 91 ng/L and 5042 ± 617 ng/L. There was a significant difference in heavy metal levels between the two types of plastic (virgin PET and R-PET) and two testing conditions (BPOM and EU). However, all the obtained concentrations were below the permitted limits of national and EU regulations.