Ten years of acetaldehyde measurements
Ten years after the introduction of the PETes AA Analyzer, developed by Piovan to measure acetaldehyde in preforms, there are over 150 PET preform and bottle producing plants where at least one of these units is installed. The concrete, recognized advantages of the analyser include: excellent repeatability; output data reliability; simplification of analysis; elimination of potential errors; reduced number of analyses to perform; minimized operator work load; flexibility and ease of use; and significant reduction of analysis and laboratory costs.
The system represents an analysis method that makes it possible to perform simple, fast, reliable, repetitive and repeatable measurements of acetaldehyde concentration in PET preforms. The entire preform is analysed using the gas chromatography method; the measurements are precise, stable and repeatable since the method no longer requires the preparation of analysis samples. Even more advantageous is the compact design that distinguishes the PETes AA Analyzer: a single tabletop unit contains a desorption cell, a gas chromatograph, a microprocessor control unit and a colour LCD monitor. The PETes AA Analyzer is available in two versions: Lab, for laboratory work; and Turret, for installation in industrial production departments. The PETes AA Analyzer also features an automatic gas chromatograph calibration function, which is carried out using an acetaldehyde or ethanol solution. The PETes AA Analyzer provides excellent results with reliability in excess of 99%. It represents the solution to the problems and inconveniences typical of conventional methods for measuring acetaldehyde in preforms.