Bravo, A., Hotchkiss, J.H. and Acree, T.E. 1992.
Identification of odor-active compounds resulting from thermal oxidation of polyethylene.
J. Agric. Food Chem 40(10): 1881-5.
Thermal processing of synthetic polymers in the presence of O into food-packaging materials can result in the formation of byproducts that impart off-odors or raise toxicol. questions. Volatiles from the thermal oxidn. of polyethylene were collected and analyzed by gas chromatog./olfactometry (GCO; CharmAnal.). Fourteen odor-active compds., most of which occurred in amts. that were too low to be detected instrumentally, were present. The overall odor was waxlike but individual components were fruity, herbaceous, rancid, metallic, waxy, pungent, or orange. Eight of the 14 compds. were identified and confirmed by matching mass spectra to those of stds. All were C6-9 satd. or unsatd. aldehydes and ketones. Approx. 46% of the aroma from oxidized polyethylene resulted from hexanal, 1-hepten-3-one, 1-octen-3-one, octanal, 1-nonen-3-one, nonanal, trans-2-nonenal, and diacetyl. .alpha.-Unsatd. aldehydes and ketones are responsible for much of the off-odor assocd. with thermally oxidized PE.