Migration from plasticized films into foods. 6. Hydrolysis of polymeric plasticizers under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions.

The polymeric plasticizers poly(butylene adipate) and poly(propylene adipate), and a low molecular weight oligomer fraction from each, were exposed in vitro to simulated gastric and intestinal hydrolysis in order to study their likely fate after ingestion of foods contaminated by migration from plastics packaging. Analysis for loss of the parent compounds indicated that partial hydrolysis occurred under simulated gastric conditions, with the low molecular weight oligomers being the most susceptible. Analysis for one of the starting materials, adipic acid, revealed however that the hydrolysis did not result in a significant conversion to free monomer under either simulated gastric or intestinal conditions. This is explained on the basis of partial hydrolysis of the plasticizers to smaller oligomer units but with the more resistant ester linkages resisting complete breakdown to monomer.