Evaluation of different transport and distribution conditions on antimony migration from PET bottles to mineral water

This work investigated the effects of temperature, storage time and vibration related to mineral water transport, on the migration of antimony (Sb) present in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. Sb was quantified by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Different conditions were used, such as, storage time: 3, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days, temperature: 40, 50 and 60 degrees C and vibration: sinusoidal, random and no vibration. The concentrations of Sb in mineral water after 21 days of storage were lower than the limit of quantification (LOQ = 1.0 mu g t-1) of the method at 40 degrees C for the three types of vibration. At 50 degrees C, Sb concentrations were between 1.72 mu g t-1 and 1.96 mu g t-1. Sb migration was greater after 21 days of contact at 60 degrees C, with values greater than 4.00 mu g t-1. The main factors that affected the increase in Sb migration were temperature and storage time. The effects of sinusoidal and random vibration during the transport simulation did not affect the increase in Sb migration.