Dissolution of aluminium from aluminium foil products in food-simulating solvents

The dissolution of aluminium from aluminium foil in food-simulating solvents was investigated. The dissolution was affected by conditions such as solvent, temperature and time. The dissolution of aluminium in water was very low, but that in acidic solvents was extremely high. It increased in the order of ultrapure water < tap water < 0.5% citric acid < 4% acetic acid at a fixed temperature and time. The dissolution of aluminium in acidic solvents was 25 to 200 times higher than that in tap water, and depended on temperature and time. Aluminium was rapidly dissolved in an alkaline solvent within 2 hours, but later, the dissolution reached an equilibrium state. A dissolution test of 10 kinds of aluminium foil products was carried out with each solvent for 30 min at 95 degrees C. The dissolution level was 0.1 similar to 0.2 mu g/cm(2) in ultrapure water, 4.4 similar to 14.6 mu g/cm(2) in 0.5% citric acid and 24.4 similar to 37.6 mu g/cm(2) in 4% acetic acid.