Analytical methods for measuring styrene

Although there are methods for analyzing styrene in materials in the literature (Hempel and Riidt, 1988a, Sugita et al. 1996) and as standard methods (ISO, 1974) there are no official or standard methods available for determining styrene in foods. There are however numerous published methods for measuring styrene in foods (Ros-sli and Marek, 1977, Hempel and Riidt, 1988b, Durst and Laperle 1990, Linssen et al. 1991, Nerin et al. 1996). 

For measurements in materials ISO-2561 first dissolves the PS material in chloroform, then the dissolved polymer is precipitated using methanol and water. The level of styrene monomer is quantified by injection of the chloroform solution into a gas chromatograph (GC). 

The method of Rossli and Marek (1977) uses GC determination of styrene after isolation by co-distillation with water and continuous extraction of the distillate with hexane. 

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