{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,18]],"date-time":"2026-01-18T12:02:15Z","timestamp":1768737735502,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,24]],"date-time":"2025-01-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737676800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["UIDB\/04650\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04650\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["UID\/04650"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/04650"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["UIDB\/00686\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00686\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Physics Center of the Universities of Minho and Porto (CF-UM-UP)","award":["UIDB\/04650\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/04650\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Physics Center of the Universities of Minho and Porto (CF-UM-UP)","award":["UID\/04650"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/04650"]}]},{"name":"Physics Center of the Universities of Minho and Porto (CF-UM-UP)","award":["UIDB\/00686\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00686\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sustainability"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The widespread use of plastic bags as improvised food cooking covers in Mozambican communities has raised public health concerns, increasing interest in studying these plastic bags, which contain heavy metals additives used to improve their physical and chemical properties. This study aims to evaluate the levels of heavy metals commonly used in plastic bags used as improvised food cooking covers, focused on Mozambican communities that have this habit. Using spectroscopic techniques, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS), we analyzed plastic bag samples to identify polymer types, chemical composition, and heavy metal concentrations. FTIR analysis confirmed low- and high-density polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE) as the primary materials, with spectra peaks between 2800 and 3000 cm\u22121, indicating stretching vibrations characteristic of LDPE and HDPE. The density measurements varied between 0.04 and 0.08 g\/cm3 with very low uncertainty values (0.27% and 0.098%). The heavy metal analysis revealed concentrations higher than those stipulated in international standards. The results in terms of the percentage of LDPE samples in relation to the HDPE samples are as follows: Cd: 69.71% (LDPE &lt; HDPE); Cu: 220.44% (LDPE &gt; HDPE); Pb: 24% (LDPE &lt; HDPE); and Zn: 51.53% (LDPE &lt; HDPE). These findings highlight the potential public health risks associated with the use of plastic bags in cooking and underscore the need for regulatory intervention.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/su17030964","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,24]],"date-time":"2025-01-24T09:40:39Z","timestamp":1737711639000},"page":"964","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Evaluation of Heavy Metal Content in Plastic Bags Used as Improvised Food Cooking Covers: A Case Study from the Mozambican Community"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-1290-8970","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manen\u00e7a Cristiano","family":"Nhanga","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physics, Her\u00f3is Mo\u00e7ambicanos Campus, P\u00fangu\u00e8 University, Chimoio C.Postal n\u00b0 333, Mozambique"},{"name":"Centre of Chemistry of Minho (CQ-UM), Gualtar Campus, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal"},{"name":"Centre of Physics of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP), Gualtar Campus, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2415-6056","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dulce","family":"Geraldo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Chemistry of Minho (CQ-UM), Gualtar Campus, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1251-0510","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"S\u00e9rgio Leonardo","family":"Nhapulo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physics, Her\u00f3is Mo\u00e7ambicanos Campus, P\u00fangu\u00e8 University, Chimoio C.Postal n\u00b0 333, Mozambique"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1652-2984","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Afonso Filipe","family":"Jo\u00e3o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physics, Her\u00f3is Mo\u00e7ambicanos Campus, P\u00fangu\u00e8 University, Chimoio C.Postal n\u00b0 333, Mozambique"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9778-5390","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joaquim","family":"Carneiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Physics of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP), Gualtar Campus, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1554-8779","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manuel F. M.","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Physics of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP), Gualtar Campus, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"021","article-title":"Public and environmental health effects waste disposal: A review","volume":"5","author":"Alabi","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Toxical Risk Assess"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Vedolin, M.C. (2014). Study of the Distribution of Metals in Plastics on the Coast of S\u00e3o Paulo: Pollution Assessment Through Pellet Analysis, Oceanography Institute of the University of S\u00e3o Paulo. Desert presented to the Oceanography Institute of the University of S\u00e3o Paulo."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jiang, Y., Son, G., and Zhang, H. (2023). Material identification and heavy metals characterization of plastic packaging bags used in Chinese express delivery. Front. Environ. Sci., 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fenvs.2023.1253108"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Heger, F.J., and Sharff, P.A. (2001). Buldings: Plastics and Composites. Encyclopedia of Materials: Science and Technology, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.. [2nd ed.].","DOI":"10.1016\/B0-08-043152-6\/00160-1"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jansen, J. (2016). Comparing Thermoplastic elastomers and Thermoset Rubber. Plastics Engineering, The Madison Group. Available online: www.plasticsengineering.org.","DOI":"10.1002\/j.1941-9635.2016.tb01513.x"},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"15","article-title":"Thermoplastic Elastomeric (TPE) materials and their use in outdoor electrical isulation","volume":"29","author":"Amin","year":"2011","journal-title":"Rev. Adv. Mater. Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166649","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2023.166649","article-title":"A comprehensive review of micro and nanoplastics in the atmosphere: Occurrence, fate, toxicity and strategies for risk reduction","volume":"904","author":"Le","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.35882\/jteknokes.v15i2.199","article-title":"Spectro-analytical research of selected heavy metals (Cu, Cd, Cr and Pb) in four different single-use plastics commonly in contact with food from Sokoto, Nigeria","volume":"15","author":"Umar","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Teknokes"},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"152","article-title":"Occurrence and distribuition of micro (meso) plastic sorbed heavy metals and metalloids in sediments, Gulf of Gunea coast (SE Atlantic)","volume":"813","author":"Ayejuyo","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"367","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvman.2018.02.034","article-title":"Heavy metals dispersion during thermal treatment of plastic bags and its recovery","volume":"212","author":"Alam","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Environ. Manag."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29927","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-020-09354-3","article-title":"Toxic heavy metals: Impact on the environmental and human health and treatment with conducting organic polymers, a review","volume":"27","author":"Sall","year":"2020","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"133","article-title":"Heavy Metals Toxicity and Environment","volume":"101","author":"Tchounwou","year":"2012","journal-title":"Natl. Inst. Health"},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"26319","article-title":"Electrochemical detection of selected heavy metals in water: A case study of African experiences","volume":"2","author":"Okpara","year":"2022","journal-title":"R. Soc. Chem. Adv."},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"09009","article-title":"Direct determination of Zinc, Cadmium, Lead, Copper metals in tap water of Delhi (India) by Anodic Stripping Voltammetry Technique","volume":"1","author":"Raj","year":"2013","journal-title":"EDP Sci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"124","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2011.03.002","article-title":"Determination of some heavy metals in food an environmental sample by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after coprecipitation","volume":"49","author":"Soylak","year":"2011","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"595","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wasman.2018.08.007","article-title":"Contamination in plastic recycling: Influence of metals on the quality of reprocessed plastic","volume":"79","author":"Eriksen","year":"2018","journal-title":"Waste Manag."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Zweifel, H., Schiller, M., and Maier, R. (2009). Plastics Additives Handbook, Hanser Gardner. [6th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"Peltzer, M.A., and Simoneau, C. (2023). Report an Interlaboratory Comparison from the European Reference Laboratory of Food Contact Materials: ILC002 2023-Identification of Polymeric Materials, European Commission. JRC valideted methods, Reference Methods and Measurements reports."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Alin, J. (2012). Migration from Plastic Food Packaging During Microwave Heating, KTH. Chemical Science and Engineering."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e19667","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2023.e19667","article-title":"Assessment of heavy metals migrated from food contact plastic packaging: Bangladesh perspective","volume":"9","author":"Eti","year":"2023","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"521","article-title":"Migration levels of toxic heavy metals in locally made food packaging containers","volume":"65","author":"Khan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Egypt. J. Chem."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.2516\/ogst:2001021","article-title":"Transport properdines of gases in polymer, bibliographic review","volume":"56","author":"Klopffer","year":"2001","journal-title":"Oil Gas. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1007\/s11947-013-1106-8","article-title":"Migration phenomenon in food packaging. Food-package interactions, mechanisms, types of migrants, testing and relative legislation; A review","volume":"7","author":"Arvanitoyannis","year":"2014","journal-title":"Food Bioprocess Technol."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"(2024, November 17). European Parlament and Council Directive 94\/62\/EC of 20 December 1994: On Packaging and Packaging Waste. (OJL 365 31.12.1994, p.10). Available online: http:\/\/data.europa.eu\/eli\/dir\/1994\/62\/oj."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"Netherland Institute for Sustainable packaging (2022). Fact Sheet-Heavy metals in packaging. Part of the Dossier on Food Safety, Netherland Institute for Sustainable packaging."},{"key":"ref_26","unstructured":"EFSA (2024). Small Organoarsenic Species in Food, EFSA."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Manoel, G.F. (2015). Physico-Chemical Characterization and Rheological Study of Asphaly Modified by HDPE, LDPE and LLDPE Polymers and Contribuition to the Aging Study of Petroleum Asphalt Cement. [Ph.D. Thesis, Minas Gerais Federal University]."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"419","DOI":"10.1007\/s10661-019-7528-7","article-title":"The relative impact of toxic heavy metals (THMs) (Arsenic (As), Cadimium (Cd), Chromium (Cr (VI)), Mercury (Hg) and Lead (Pb)) on the total environment: An overview","volume":"191","author":"Rahman","year":"2019","journal-title":"Environ. Moni. Assess"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60291","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-021-16448-z","article-title":"Interaction of plastic particles with heavy metals and the resulting toxicological impacts: A review","volume":"28","author":"Maity","year":"2021","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1373","DOI":"10.1016\/j.toxrep.2020.10.003","article-title":"Risk assessment and evaluation of heavy metals concentrations in blood samples of plastic industry workes in Dhaka, Bangladesh","volume":"7","author":"Ahmed","year":"2020","journal-title":"Toxicol. Rep."},{"key":"ref_31","unstructured":"(2020). Safety of Toys-Migration of Certain Elements (Standard No. ISO 81243: 2020)."},{"key":"ref_32","first-page":"180","article-title":"Modelling migration from plastic packaging materials used in food industry","volume":"19","author":"Traistaru","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Agroaliment. Process Technol."},{"key":"ref_33","unstructured":"Akhyar, F.M. (2012). Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Intech Open."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.2174\/1874256401509010014","article-title":"Migration of chemical contaminants from polyethylene bags into food during cooking","volume":"9","author":"Mussoke","year":"2015","journal-title":"Open Food Sci. J."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"IUCN-EA-Quantis (2020). National Guidance for Access Points and Plastic Pollution Modeling Actions: Results from Mozambique, IUCN-EA-Quantis."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e25384","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2024.e25384","article-title":"Quantification of toxic heavy metals, trace elements and essential minerals contents in traditional herbal medicines commonly utilized in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan","volume":"10","author":"Anwar","year":"2024","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"64337","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-021-15488-9","article-title":"Evaluation of essential and non-essential elemental composition of commonly used medicinal plants from district Peshwar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan","volume":"28","author":"Malook","year":"2021","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"Ibrahim, M., He, H., and Chen, R. (2018). In Situ Density Determination of Polyethylene in Multilayer Polymer Films Using Raman Microscopy, Thermo Fisher Scientific."},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"Neves dos Santos, L.R. (2009). Evaluation of the Efficiency of Separation of Plastics from Municipal Solid Waste by Selective Dissolution Methods. [Master\u2019s Thesis, School of Engineering, University of Minho]."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.56530\/spectroscopy.xp7081p7","article-title":"The Infrared spectra of polymers II: Polyethylene","volume":"36","author":"Smith","year":"2021","journal-title":"Spectroscopy"},{"key":"ref_41","unstructured":"Margolis, M.J. (2006). Engineering Plastics Handbook, McGraw-Hill."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1007\/s40201-019-00337-2","article-title":"Determination of the selected heavy metals and metalloid contents in various types of plastics bags","volume":"17","author":"Alam","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Environ. Health Sci. Eng."},{"key":"ref_43","unstructured":"(2017). General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories (Standard No. ISO\/IEC 17025). Available online: https:\/\/www.iasonline.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ISO-IEC-17025-2017-IAS.pdf."},{"key":"ref_44","unstructured":"(2018). Packing for Express Service\u2014Part 3: Packing Bag (Standard No. GB\/T16606.3-2018). Available online: https:\/\/www.gbstandards.org\/GB_Search.asp?word=packaging."},{"key":"ref_45","first-page":"30","article-title":"Physical and Chemical of low density polyethylene and high density polyethylene","volume":"10","author":"Shivasharana","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Adv. Sci. Res."},{"key":"ref_46","unstructured":"Switzerland (2024, November 17). Verordnung zur Reduktion von RIsiken Beim Umgang mit Bestimmten Stoffer; Zubereitungen und Gegenstanden (Chemikalien-Risiko Redktions-Verordnung [chenRRV], Draft. Available online: https:\/\/www.newsd.admin.ch\/newsd\/message\/attachments\/90961.pdf."},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Germany (2024, November 17). Regulations on the Packaging and Processing of Packaging Materials (BRD 1998): 13 Contraton of Energy. Available online: https:\/\/zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl\/stcrt-1997-125-p14-SC9815.pdf."}],"container-title":["Sustainability"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2071-1050\/17\/3\/964\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,8]],"date-time":"2025-10-08T10:35:42Z","timestamp":1759919742000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2071-1050\/17\/3\/964"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,24]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2]]}},"alternative-id":["su17030964"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/su17030964","relation":{},"ISSN":["2071-1050"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2071-1050","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,24]]}}}