We studied the first-order degradation kinetics of Bisphenol F diglycidyl ether (BFDGE) in three water-based food simulants [3% (w/v) acetic acid, distilled water, and 15% (v/v) ethanol] at various temperatures. BFDGE and its first and second hydrolysis products were determined by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Nonlinear regression was used to fit the experimental data at 40, 50, and 60 degrees C with the proposed kinetic equations; the Arrhenius equation was then fitted to the rate constants obtained, and the kinetic models were tested by comparing experimental data obtained at 70 degrees C with the kinetic curves calculated using the rate constants predicted for this temperature. The half-life of BFDGE was longest in ethanol and shortest in acetic acid. The difference between the hydrolysis rates of BFDGE and Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether may be due to 10% of the BFDGE used being in n = 1 monomer form. The results imply that resins which comply with existing legislation on the migration of unreacted monomer may still contaminate foodstuffs.

The overall and specific migrations of BADGE n = 0 monomer and m-XDA hardener from a BEPOX LAB 889 (Gairesa internal code), epoxy system cured at room temperature, into three water-based food simulants are studied. Hydrolysis of BADGE n = 0 was observed in all of these simulants, giving more polar products. We thus propose changing the EEC Directives, which at present only legislate for levels of BADGE n = 0 monomer in the simulants, to include the hydrolysis products of BADGE monomers. Another alternative would be to express all the migration levels due to BADGE and its derived products in terms of BADGE itself.