Delamination of multilayer packaging caused by exfoliating cream ingredient

Résumé

Exfoliating creams were packed in sachets of composite packaging consisting of polyethylene, aluminium and polyester layers stuck together by polyurethane adhesive, and they were kept in an oven at 40°C in order to accelerate the delamination process. The sachets were then delaminated and the resulting layers were analysed. A headspace solid-phase microextraction mass spectrometry method (HS-SPME-GC-MS) using a 75μm carboxen polydimethylsiloxane fibre was used to identify the compounds migrating from the exfoliating creams through the polyethylene layer to the aluminium interface and suspected to be responsible for packaging delamination. Several volatile compounds used in the cosmetic industry as perfumes, fixing agents and preservatives, such as menthol, dihydromyrcenol and 2-phenoxyethanol, were detected in the aluminiumlpolyester delaminated layer. The exfoliating creams were also analysed by HS-SPME-GC-MS. The study of loss of adhesion of the laminated material exposed to the exfoliating products revealed that the product with a higher concentration of 2-phenoxyethanol caused a faster decrease in adhesion strength, but the lower adhesion values were found in products with higher concentrations of menthol and dihydromyrcenol. The results obtained showed that the analytical method used was suitable for identifying volatile compounds that migrate through polyethylene to the inner layers of the packaging of exfoliating products, as well as for providing prior information on which products may be difficult to package in sachets. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.