Describes a method for the determination of selected polybrominated flame retardants (BFR), chemically known as polybrominated diphenylethers (BDE), in waste materials using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the electron impact (EI) ionisation mode (GC-EI-MS).

This European Standard specifies a method for the determination of selected polybrominated flame retardants (BFR), chemically known as polybrominated diphenylethers (BDE), in waste materials using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in the electron impact (EI) ionisation mode (GC-EI-MS). When applying GC-EI-MS, the method is applicable to samples containing 100 µg/kg to 5 000 µg/kg of tetra-to octabromodiphenylether congeners and 100 µg/kg to 10 000 µg/kg of decabromo diphenylether (see Table 1). It is also possible to analyse other brominated flame retardants applying the method described in this European Standard, provided the method\'s applicability has been proven. Table 1 — Brominated flame retardants determined by this method No. Congener Formula Abbreviationa Molar massg/mol 1 2,2’,4,4’-Tetrabromodiphenylether C12H6Br4O BDE-47 485,795 0 2 2,2’,4,4’,5-Pentabromodiphenylether C12H5Br5O BDE-99 564,691 1 3 2,2’,4,4’,6-Pentabromodiphenylether C12H5Br5O BDE-100 564,691 1 4 2,2’,4,4’,5,6’-Hexabromodiphenylether C12H4Br6O BDE-154 643,587 2 5 2,2’,4,4’,5,5’-Hexabromodiphenylether C12H4Br6O BDE-153 643,587 2 6 2,2’,3,4,4’,5’,6-Heptabromodiphenylether C12H3Br7O BDE-183 722,483 2 7 Decabromodiphenylether C12Br10O BDE-209 959,171 4 a Numbering for the BDE according to IUPAC nomenclature for PCB.