Polyethylene terephthalate, acetaldehyd

Polyethylene Terephthalate +0C COO—CH2—CH2- O+n Acetaldehyde Mafor Product with CO2, CO, C2H4, H2O, CH4, CeHfi, Terephthalic Acid and More Complex Chain Fragments 20.6... 

As a result of thermooxidative destruction, polyethylene terephthalate liberates the diethyl ether of terephthalic acid, acetaldehyde, methanol and carbon oxide. As investigations have shown, manufacture of PETP films or fibers has brought no change to the state of health of maintenance workers. Moreover, PETP films are used to preserve sterilized foodstuffs and warm up prepared dishes. 

Hagman and co-workers [3] and Schmidt and co-workers [4] used dynamic headspace analysis to study volatiles in polypropylene-polyethylene copolymers and PVC and polyethylene terephthalate. In the latter method [3], volatiles from PET and PVC were collected and separated by open tubular GC. Other solid polymer headspace methods discussed include hexane, tridicane and butylated hydroxytoluene in polypropylene [5], vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, acetaldehyde and water in vinyl and acrylic polymers and polyolefins [6], ethyl acetate and toluene in laminated polyolefins [7], miscellaneous volatiles in polymers [8] and solvents retained in plastic films [9-12]. 

Von Houwelinger [8] used coulometric bromination to determine vinyl ester end-groups in polyethylene terephthalate formed by thermal chain scission with the subsequent liberation of acetaldehyde. 

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