Gas chromatographic identification and quantification of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in a commercial product, Bromkal 70-5DE

Abstract

Thirty-one brominated diphenyl ether (BDE) standards have been used for identification and quantification of unknown congeners in the technical flame-retardant, Bromkal 70-5DE, using relative retention versus dechlorane and standard additions on four different high-resolution gas chromatography capillary columns with low-polar to very polar properties. Nine new BDE congeners were identified. Eight of these were also quantified as mass percent of the product: 2,2′,4,4′,6-pentaBDE (6.8%), 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexaBDE (3.9%), 2,2′,4,4′,5,6′-hexaBDE (2.5%), 2,2′,3,4,4′-pentaBDE (1.6%), 2,2′,3,4,4′,5′-hexaBDE (0.41%), 2,3′,4,4′-tetraBDE (0.22%), 2,4,4′-triBDE (0.11%) and 2,2′,4-triBDE (0.22%). The ninth congener was 2,2′,3,4,4′,5′,6-heptaBDE. The two previously identified BDE congeners in Bromkal 70-5DE, 2,2′,4,4′-tetraBDE and 2,2′,4,4′,5-pentaBDE constituted 35% and 37%, respectively, in this batch.