Automated Extraction of Plasticizers from Toys

Martin Perkins

7th May 2014


The US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act Section 108 requires that children’s toys and child care articles be tested for phthalate content.

A Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) test method exists for this determination (CPSC-CH C1001-09.3), but the method is a manual method that involves dissolving samples in THF followed by precipitation of the polymer, filtration and dilution, prior to analysis by GC-MS.

This approach is fine where a few samples have to be run, but for labs that run large numbers of samples on a regular basis, this is very inefficient and a poor use of skilled analysts’ time.

Using the GERSTEL MultiPurpose Sampler, all of these sample processing steps have been combined into a seamless automated procedure.

If you are involved in the determination of polymer additives, this article shows in detail how this was done and will give you a good idea of just what is possible.

If you have interest in automating this, or a similar application, please call us on +44 (0)1223 279210 or email enquiries@anatune.co.uk.