TABLE VIII

Levels of Extracted Elements, Polyethylene (PE)

Extraction Details						Amount of Element Extracted, μg/g (ppm)^⁵
Sample	Solvent	Volume (mL)	Temp. (°C)	Time	Weight (g)	Al	B	Ba	Ca	Fe	Mg	Na	P	S	Si	Zn
1	pH 2.5	200	121	1 h	4.0	—^³	3.4	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³
	Water	200	121	1 h	4.0	—^³	1.4	—^³	0.06	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³
	pH 9.5	200	121	1 h	4.0	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	NA^⁶	NA^⁶	—^³	—^³	—^³
2	pH 2.5	150	55	4 days	15.0	—^³	—^³	—^³	1.0	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³
2	pH 9.5	150	55	4 days	15.0	—^³	—^³	—^³	0.50	—^³	—^³	NA^⁶	NA^⁶	0.10	—^³
3^²	pH 3	200	121	1 h	4.0	—^³	4.5	—^³	3.5	—^³	—^³	4.0	—^³	—^³	3.0	—^³
	pH 9	200	121	1 h	4.0	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	NA^⁶	NA^⁶	3.5	0.50	—^³
	E/W	200	55	5 days	4.0	—^³	4.5	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	4.0	—^³	—^³	6.0	—^³
4	pH 2.5	150	55	4 days	15.0	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	0.30	—^³
4	pH 9.5	150	55	4 days	15.0	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	NA^⁶	NA^⁶	0.20	1.2	—^³
5	pH 3	200	55	6 months	5.4	—^³	8.9	—^³	56	—^³	—^³	89	—^³	34	5.2	—^³
	pH 9	200	55	6 months	5.4	—^³	—^³	—^³	3.3	—^³	—^³	NA^⁶	NA^⁶	6.3	40	—^³
	E/W	200	55	6 months	5.4	—^³	5.9	—^³	4.1	—^³	—^³	10	—^³	—^³	4.1	—^³
6^²	pH 3	150	55	4 days	16.3	—^³	0.92	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	0.92	—^³	—^³	0.92	—^³
	pH 9	150	55	4 days	16.3	—^³	0.92	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	NA^⁶	NA^⁶	—^³	0.92	—^³
	E/W	150	55	4 days	16.3	—^³	0.92	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	—^³	0.92	—^³

Notes: ¹The solvent types denoted with the pH were aqueous solutions prepared at that pH. Solvents at pH 3 and below were KCl/HCl mixtures. Solvents at pH above 3 were dilute phosphate buffers. W = purified water. E/W = 40/60 (v/v) ethanol/water.
↵2 This material was gamma-irradiated.
↵3 — = not present in the sample in reportable quantities.
⁴PE housing with silicone rubber gasket.
↵5 Elements that were not present in the extracts at reportable levels, in addition to those listed in this table, included Ag, As, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ge, Li, Mo, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, and Zr.
↵6 NA = not applicable. As Na and P were components of the buffer used in these solvents, extractable quantities of these elements could not be ascertained.