Aromatic amine migration from commonly used kitchen utensils marketed inTurkey: detection and quantification using LC-MS/MS

Primary aromatic amines (PAAs) are migrants, some of which are carcinogenic and classified by official organizations such as IARC Program. Consumers prefer kitchen utensils made of plastic, especially polyamides, for their ease of use and durability. Fifty-five samples of kitchen utensils were collected by retailers in Turkey. They were made of polyamide (40 samples), polypropylene (5 samples), polytetrafluoroethylene (5 samples), polyethylene (4 samples) and polystyrene (1 sample). Twenty targeted PAAs were analyzed in migration extracts using LC - MS/MS. Six PAAs-aniline (ANL), 4,4'-methylenedianiline (4,4'-MDA), 2,6-toluenediamine (2,6-TDA), 2,4-toluenediamine (2,4-TDA), 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine (3,3'-DMB), and o-toluidine (o-T) were detected in at least one of the 55 samples. ANL was the predominant PAAs in 20 samples below and above its limit of quantification (LOQ) values. The serving spoon (SS3 coded sample) had the highest aniline concentration at 0.057 mg/kg, followed by the crepe spatula (CS3) at 0.038 mg/kg. 4,4'-MDA and 3,3'-DMB were detected below their LOQ values in four and only one of the samples. After the third migration test, no PAAs were detected in any sample. The detected PAA concentrations were low, suggesting a limited potential health risk for consumers under the tested migration conditions, although the presence of PAA highlights the importance of continued monitoring.