Hydrocarbon Range
Saturated and aromatic mineral oil molecules containing between sixteen and thirty-five carbon atoms form a specific distillation cut evaluated in food contact paperboard testing. Laboratory protocols isolate the c16 c35 fraction to quantify volatile and semi-volatile hydrocarbons capable of migrating into dry food matrices. Molecular weights in this range correspond to alkane structures that vaporize under elevated storage temperatures.
Chromatographic integration stops above the upper boundary where heavier waxes remain trapped in the cellulose matrix.
Migration Limit
Regulatory frameworks for paper packaging establish strict thresholds for hydrocarbon accumulation in dry food products. Measuring the c16 c35 fraction isolates substances with high gas-phase mobility while excluding heavier synthetic waxes added during converting. High concentrations in paperboard usually originate from recovered newsprint inks and functional waxes applied during repulping.
Testing protocols require solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatography to separate saturated hydrocarbons from aromatic structures. Boundary limits for this specific carbon window prevent non-volatile additives from distorting compliance calculations.
Analytical Window
Separation efficiency in capillary gas chromatography dictates the accuracy of carbon number boundaries. Calibration standards containing straight-chain alkanes establish retention time markers for the c16 c35 fraction before sample injection occurs. Gas flow rates and oven temperature ramps control the resolution of overlapping unresolved complex mixtures.
Incorrect baseline assignment skews total peak areas toward false positive results. Quantification relies on relative response factors calibrated against internal standards to ensure precise mass determinations across varying board grammages.
