Characterisation of five technical mixtures of brominated flame retardants

The main components of five technical mixtures of brominated flame retardants were identified by mass spectroscopy, H-NMR, IR spectroscopy, elementary analysis, and HRGC-MS, respectively. The mixtures have been identified as: phosphoric acid bromopropylates: Bromcal P 67–6 HP; C18-alkylated bromophenols: Bromcal P 40–3; dibromopropyl-2,4,6-tribromophenyl ether: Bromcal 73–5 PE; brominated diphenyl ethers (PBrDE): Bromcal 70–5 DE; decabromodiphenyl ether: Bromcal 82–0. Gas chromatographic retention data of the various constituents were measured on standard GC columns. The data prove the interference of some of the brominated compounds with PCBs and other halogenated pesticides in HRGC using the electron capture detector.