Specific migration and residual monomer tests

In addition to the global migration limit 90/128/EEC also provides a number of specific migration limits (SMLs) for plastic monomers (Table 9). 

There are also SMLs for plastic additives, some examples are shown in Table 10. 

In the case of some monomers, 90/128/EEC gives limits (called quantification limit-monomer (Qm)) relating to the plastic material itself. For example, vinylidene chloride has a QM of 5 mg/kg of plastic. 

Over the years, the detection of species migrating from food contact materials has advanced hand in hand with the gradual lowering of analytical detection limits brought about by the refinement of the techniques. For example, the SML for acrylonitrile is set at not detectable above 0.02 mg/kg (i.e., 20 parts per billion) and this would not be obtainable on a routine basis without the benefits of modem instmmentation. 

The development of suitable methods for the detection of the wide range of monomers and additives used in 

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