Determination of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in the Styrene Polymer as the Brominated Frame Retardants by GC/MS

Abstract

Studies on the analytical method as well as the thermal decomposition behaviors of polybrominated Biphenyl ethers, which were added as a brominated flame retardants (BFR) in the electrical and electronic equipment materials, were conducted. In solvent extraction-GC/MS method, a method based on dissolution with THE followed by precipitation of bulk polymers with tolvene showed higher extraction efficiency than the Soxhlet extraction method On the other hand, in the pyrolysis GC/MS analysis, mono- to hepta-bominated diphenylethers and dibenzofurans were detected as the product by thermal decomposition of DeBDE added as BFR. Therefore, the pyrolysis GC/MS analysis was found to be not suitable as a technique of quantitative analysis of PBDEs in materials. It was also suggested that PBDFs may be formed by burning of the material containing PBDEs as BFR.