Gas chromatographic determination of phosphate-based flame retardants in styrene-based polymers from waste electrical and electronic equipment

Two methods for the determination of phosphate-based flame retardants (PFRs) and similar organophosphates (OPs) were developed. Two gas chromatographic systems were applied, one equipped with a quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC/MS), the other with a specific phosphorus–nitrogen detector (GC/PND). A procedure of ultrasonic supported extraction and precipitation (USSE) was applied and verified using in-house produced reference materials. Twelve polymer parts of electrical and electronic devices, and eight polymer references were analysed for their PFR contents. The results show that the methods are capable of identifying PFRs in concentration ranges from 3 μg L−1 (tricresyl phosphate, TCP) to 12 μg L−1 (cresyl diphenyl phosphate, CDP) on GC/PND and from 110 μg L−1 (triphenyl phosphine oxide, TPPO) to 3250 μg L−1 (tris(ethylhexyl) phosphate, TEHP) on GC/MS in reference solutions. LODs in polymer extracts range from 180 μg g−1 (triphenyl phosphate, TPP) to 670 μg g−1 (bisphenol-A-bis(diphenyl phosphate), BDP) on GC/PND and from 75 μg g−1 (TPPO) to 780 μg g−1 (BDP) on GC/MS. The overall procedure time for one sample was less than 45 min (GC/MS) and less than 65 min (GC/PND).

► Methods for phosphate-based flame retardants and organophosphates were developed.
► Two gas chromatographic systems were employed, GC/MS and GC/PND.
► Ultrasonic supported extraction and precipitation was applied and verified.
► In-house produced reference materials were employed.
► 12 polymer parts of electronic devices, and 8 polymer references were analysed.