Contaminant Identification
When an unknown material is found in packaging materials or packaged products, the source of contamination needs to be found. Contaminant identification projects involve the determination of components at low concentrations (e.g. ppm levels).
A strategic technical approach is required to identify the unknown contaminant by using a comparison study between a control and suspect sample. The technical approach is dependent on the sample matrix and the suspected level of contamination in the packaging. Often, we start with a general screen of the control and suspect sample using GC/MS and LC/MS. Depending on the results, we may need to isolate the contaminant from a large amount of sample to allow analysis using FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. Once identification is complete, we can further quantify the contaminant in the sample matrix.
Typical contamination testing and identification projects have involved off-odor/flavor investigations, off-color problems, or foreign particles in a product. Additionally, materials from packaging often leache into the packaged product causing major quality issues. Some sources of contaminants have been from the environment, improper storage of the product, or poor quality raw materials. We work closely with our clients to trace the source of contamination and develop a realistic corrective action program.