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INCORPORATION OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC ADDITIVES INTO MODEL PACKAGING POLYMERS
Title
INCORPORATION OF INORGANIC AND ORGANIC ADDITIVES INTO MODEL PACKAGING POLYMERS
Creator
Bajaj, Akhil
Date
2016, 2016-12
Description
Nowadays, various commercial polymers such as low density poly(ethylene) (LDPE), poly(propylene) (PP), and Nylon, may contain or are...
Show moreNowadays, various commercial polymers such as low density poly(ethylene) (LDPE), poly(propylene) (PP), and Nylon, may contain or are fabricated with molecular and/or nano-sized inorganic filler elements. These fillers elements often modify, enhance or bring desired changes to the native properties of these polymers. However, these additives also have the potential to interact with the physical environment. For any new additive, it is important to assess and evaluate the potential consumer exposure under intended conditions of use. This thesis reports on the preparation of model polymer samples fabricated with various molecular and nano-sized filler elements (exfoliated clays, quantum dots, and organic colorants) to help evaluate factors affecting the rate of migration and the potential consumer exposure associated with these materials. One of the main aims of this project is the development of methods to incorporate organic and inorganic additives into polymers relevant to food packaging and medical devices using a laboratory scale twin-screw micro-compounder. Some of the samples prepared via optimized methods include (1) 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt.% Montmorillonite in LDPE; (2) quantum dots (QDs) spanning a size range of 3-8 nm into LDPE; and (3) 1-2 wt.% colorant-loaded polymer films, where the colorants include phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green, quinizarin blue, manganese (II) phthalocyanine and titanium (IV) oxide, and the host polymers include poly(propylene), poly(carbonate), Nylon 12, and PEBAX (poly(ether-block-amide)). In addition to optimizing methods for composite fabrication, the properties of these materials were analyzed using many techniques, including differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Migration experiments were carried out to evaluate the interaction of samples with model food and environmental systems. This research was instrumental to support efforts to understand the mechanisms of potential exposure to polymer additives.
M.S. in Food Safety and Technology, December 2016
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POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO SUBSTANCES IN POLYMER COMPOSITES USED AS FOOD PACKAGING MATERIALS
Title
POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO SUBSTANCES IN POLYMER COMPOSITES USED AS FOOD PACKAGING MATERIALS
Creator
Shah, Saloni S.
Date
2021
Description
In the food manufacturing, preservation, supply, and distribution chain, packaging plays a critical role. The fundamental goal of any...
Show moreIn the food manufacturing, preservation, supply, and distribution chain, packaging plays a critical role. The fundamental goal of any packaging method is to keep food contained and protected. There is an increasing demand for natural and "fresh-like" foods that are less processed and have a longer shelf life, necessitating a variety of packing strategies. With increasing demand, the biggest developments in the field of packaging technology have been innovative food packaging approaches, such as active packaging, intelligent packaging, and bioactive packaging, which include deliberate contact with the food or its surroundings and its effect on consumer health. Several research studies in the past few years have shown that nanocomposite materials have significant improvement in the strength, barrier characteristics, antimicrobial capabilities, and heat and cold stability of food packaging materials, but various studies have reported that these composites might be a source of engineered nanomaterials in the human diet or environment. It has also been reported in numerous studies that nanocomposites can migrate into the food during long-term storage. These studies use food simulants like acetic acid and water to mimic the food matrix. However, they raise issues regarding how ingredients in real foods could affect exposure. This research focuses on the migration of silver (Ag) ions into food matrix-like commercial beverages and demonstrating if the ingredients present in commercial food and beverages influence the migration process. For the study, polymer composites films and dogbones were made. Polymer composite films with 0.2%, 1%, and 5% of silver zeolite concentration in polylactic acid (PLA) were produced, and different media like water, Domino sugar, and Squirt were stored in packages manufactured from this material under accelerated room-temperature conditions. Polymer composite dogbones were made with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) with 1.25% and 2.51% of graphene and graphite. Further, these materials were characterized with the help of Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy-Attenuated Total Reflection (FTIR-ATR), and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). This hypothesis of this study was that, when polymer composites are employed in packaging applications, food and beverage components may impact dietary exposure to these particles, and the use of food simulants may underpredict the quantity of the migration in some cases
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Characterization and Migration of Silver Nanoparticles from Electron-Beam Irradiated Low-Density Polyethylene
Title
Characterization and Migration of Silver Nanoparticles from Electron-Beam Irradiated Low-Density Polyethylene
Creator
Donovan, Dylan
Date
2023
Description
Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) and engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) may find use in a wide range of commercial applications, including food and...
Show morePolymer nanocomposites (PNCs) and engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) may find use in a wide range of commercial applications, including food and medical product packaging. Migration of nanofillers from polymer nanocomposites into food matrices could be a source of human dietary exposure to ENMs. Electron beam (e-beam) irradiation is a processing method used for microbial inactivation as well as for modifying properties of polymer films, such as stretch resistance and shrink tension. Process treatment of nanotechnology-based packaging materials either for sterilization or for strengthening of the polymer films may have a significant effect on the migration of ENMs into food matrices. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effect of e-beam irradiation treatments of LDPE containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the subsequent migration of AgNPs into a food simulant under intended use conditions. The study observes a correlation between e-beam irradiation dose quantity and the release of AgNPs into a food simulant.
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