Analysis of two alternative organophosphorus flame retardants in electronic and plastic consumer products: resorcinol bis-(diphenylphosphate) (PBDPP) and bisphenol A bis (diphenylphosphate) (BPA-BDPP)

Abstract

Following the phase-out of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) are increasingly used as alternative flame retardants in many products. Data on the presence of two alternative PFRs in consumer products, resorcinol bis (diphenylphosphate) (PBDPP or RDP) and bisphenol A bis (diphenylphosphate) (BPA-BDPP or BDP) is still scarce or non-existing. In this study we propose a simple extraction method and analysis by liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) coupled to a high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF) for plastic consumer products. Detection limits were low enough for trace quantitation in plastic or electronic samples (0.001% and 0.002% w/w for PBDPP and BPA-BDPP, respectively). The APCI source provided better sensitivity and matrix effects than the commonly used ESI source for the analysis of these PFRs. Both PBDPP and BPA-BDPP were detected in 7 of the 12 products purchased in 2012 (at 0.002-0.3% w/w for PBDPP and 0.02-0.18% w/w for BPA-BDPP) while only PBDPP was found in 4 of the 13 products purchased before 2006 (0.005-7.8% w/w). In newly purchased products, PBDPP, BPA-BDPP and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) were the most frequently detected PFRs. These results support the recent findings of our research group about high concentration levels of PBDPP and BPA-BDPP up to 0.5-1 mg g(-1) in house dust collected on electronic equipment and highlights the need for further research on these two novel PFRs.

Keywords: Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization; Bisphenol A bis (diphenylphosphate); Liquid chromatography; Organophosphorus flame retardants; Resorcinol bis-(diphenylphosphate).