Publication Abstract

Determination of the brominated flame retardant, hexabromocyclododecane, in sediments and biota by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

Determination of the brominated flame retardant, hexabromocyclododecane, in sediments and biota by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

S. Morris, P. Bersuder, C.R. Allchin, B. Zegers, J.P.Boon, P.E.G. Leonards and J. de Boer

Three institutions collaborated on the development of analytical methods for the mass spectrometric detection and quantitation of the brominated flame retardants, a-, ß-, and ?-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A). The sample extraction and clean-up procedures are similar to those methods used for polybrominated diphenylethers, but due to its higher polarity, treatment using sulphuric acid is necessary to obtain a fraction containing TBBP-A. Chromatographic separation of the three HBCD diastereomers is currently not possible using GC, and thermally induced rearrangements at temperatures >160°C also takes place. To monitor the environmental occurrence, and understand the behaviour and fate of HBCDs, isomer-specific methods were developed using reverse phase, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The inclusion of TBBP-A in these methods was also possible using time scheduled, selected ion monitoring of the deprotonated ions. This is the first time LC-MS has been applied to the detection of these BFRs in sediments and aquatic biota and observations from an intercomparison exercise indicates that this is a promising method of analysis.

Reference:

S. Morris, P. Bersuder, C.R. Allchin, B. Zegers, J.P.Boon, P.E.G. Leonards and J. de Boer (2006) Determination of the brominated flame retardant, hexabromocyclododecane, in sediments and biota by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 25: 343-349

S. Morris*, P. Bersuder*, C.R. Allchin*, B. Zegers, J.P.Boon, P.E.G. Leonards and J. de Boer

Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 25: 343-349