Effect of several variables in the polymer toys additive migration to saliva.

Capacity to migrate of a representative group of polymeric additives, dyes, antioxidants, hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) or antistatics, from plastic toys to saliva was analyzed to protect children in their habits of sucking and biting. Most of target additives appear no-regulated in toys normative but adverse effects on human health of some of them have been demonstrated and their presence in others commercial articles normative has been included. In order to offer an effective and easy tool to perform these controls, migration tests by dynamic and static contact, followed by a preconcentration step by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and ultra performance liquid chromatographic analysis with ultraviolet-visible and evaporative light scattering detections (UPLC-UV/Vis-ELSD) have been optimized to evaluate the migrated amounts of the additives in saliva simulant. The detection limits of the migration methodologies were ranged from 8.68 × 10(-2) to 1.30 × 10(-3)mg migrated (L simulant)(-1). Influence of several variables on this mass transport, as time, temperature and friction, was also analyzed to achieve the most aggressive methodology to protect consumers. Migration of several studied additives, whose presence has been demonstrated in several purchased commercial toys, has been observed.