What particles does the Polybutadiene leave in the water?

[Felipe28]

I use an application in which balls made of polybutadiene are in contact with drinking water. I need to certify that the contact of the polybutadiene with the water does not affect the flavour and does not leave toxic components in it.

So, first of all I need to identify what are the elements in the polybutadiene that might be left in the water so that after that I can specify those elements or particles to a lab and wait for them to test concentrations of these elements in the water.

Thanks

Felipe

 

[patprimmer]

A simple google search will throw up over 600,000 hits including links to MSDS.

There are many grades and I would strongly suspect you need one approved for potable water or approved by the water supply authority in your part of the world wherever that may happen to be.

Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376 for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers &

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm

for site rules

 

[Demon3]

Particles are likely to be of polybutadiene itself. That will have no taste or smell because polymers don't.

You will likely have stabilizer in there, for example hindered phenolic antioxidant which will come out in water and can give taste.

Try contacting Joe Webster at Stabilization-technologies.com because he's an expert in extracting, identifying and quantifying such things. That's the lab I use.

Chris DeArmitt PhD FRSC CChem

 

[tom1953]

Presumably you're talking about balls made out of polybutadiene rubber (BR). This would mean a rubber compound which probably contains, besides the BR itself, curatives (peroxide or, more commonly, sulfur and sulfur-containing accelerators), fillers, plasticizers, process aids, and antidegradants/stabilizers. All of these ingredients can have an effect on the drinking water.

A standard commonly used for potable water contact is NSF 61. The NSF web site (

http://www.nsf.org)

has info on materials that are or can be used in contact with potable (drinking) water.

 

[Felipe28]

Thank you all for your replies. Tom1953, its been very helpful yur info. I see that NSF 61 section 6 might be what I am looking for:

Section 6= Specific requirements for Joining and Sealing Materials/products such as o-rings, gaskets, lubricants, adhesives, elastomer materials, etc.

The thing is that looking over the internet I can see there is no way to get these standars but buying them from the NSF page for USD 325. Do you know any other way of having access to them?

Another question. These elements you mention, do you believe they are specified in the NSF61?

Thanks

 

[tom1953]

Unfortunately, I don't have any first-hand knowledge of NSF 61, but do know that companies (custom mixers and product manufacturers) have developed compounds that have been tested or certified to be NSF 61 compliant. I don't know if there's a listing of materials that are NSF61-compliant.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but I've already told you more than I know.

 

[patprimmer]

I am pretty sure the NSF is an American organisation.

I know at least Japan and the UK and almost certainly Din also had their own stds re potable water.

The old standard used by most of the world outside the USA was the Thames Water Authority. It is now probably merged into an EU standard based on the old TWA or a Din or a new std.

If you are in the USA, of course use the US std,however if you are part of the majority outside the USA, you should determine which std or standards applies to your market region or regions.

Anyway, despite all the potential stds, any decent material supplier should be able to recommend a grade tested for pottable water suitability and give back up data as to which particular stds it meets. It will be on a grade by grade basis based on all sorts of things including purity of raw materials and aditives used.

Regards
Pat
See FAQ731-376 for tips on use of eng-tips by professional engineers &

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm

for site rules

 

[Pud]

Here is a link to the approved products which can be used in the Uk.

Pat, it's now the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme. (Quango, I suspect).

http://www.wras.co.uk/directory/Materials_Search.asp

Cheers
H

http://www.tynevalleyplastics.co.uk

It seems to me you have confused a safe drinking limit with what I like to call "lunch"

 

[Felipe28]

Thank you patprimmer, from what place the standard is, its not so relevant to me. BS 6920 seems to work just fine.

Pud, your list has helped me a lot! That way I can directly ask any providers for all those polymer options.

Thanks anyway tom1953!

 

[ornerynorsk]

Polybutadiene is not a NSF61 listed material. NBR, PB, and PBT are. If you are in the states, you will need to confine your material choices to those approved for potable water.

Try this link for further materials information that NSF addresses.

http://www.nsf.org/Certified/PwsComponents/

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.