Mechanochemical degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A: Performance, products and pathway

► Fe + SiO2 shows better performance than CaO in mechanochemical destruction of TBBPA. ► Nonhazardous inorganic carbon and soluble bromide were the final products. ► Raman and FTIR imply the generation of inorganic carbon and removal of bromine atom. ► Tri-BBPA, bi-BBPA, mono-BBPA, BPA were the main intermediates during ball milling. ► The bromine was balanced and the degradation pathway was proposed.