Development of additives possessing both solid-phase and gas-phase flame retardant activities

Effective additives are required to impart a measure of fire retardancy to polymeric materials used in a variety of applications. Traditionally, these have been gas-phase active additives, most commonly organohalogen compounds or solid-phase active agents, often organophosphorus compounds. Organosphosphorus flame retardants are often very effective but may suffer from a cost disadvantage when compared with their organobromine counterparts. Organohalogen flame retardants are usually quite effective but their use is a subject to several environmental concerns. The development of additives that could simultaneously promote both types of fire retardant action could make available flame retardants that are both more cost effective and more environmentally friendly than those currently in use. Several sets of compounds with the potential to display both solid-phase and gas-phase flame retardant activities have been prepared and evaluated.     

Probing new approaches using atmospheric pressure photo ionization for the analysis of brominated flame retardants and their related degradation products by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Atmospheric pressure photo ionisation has been evaluated for the analysis of brominated flame retardants and their related degradation products by LC-MS. Degradation mixtures obtained from the photochemical degradation of tetrabromobisphenol A and decabromodiphenylether were used as model systems for the assessment of the developed methodology. Negative ion mode gave best results for TBBPA and its degradation compounds. [M - H]- ions were formed without the need of using a doping agent. MS and MS/MS experiments allowed the structural identification of new TBBPA "polymeric" degradation compounds formed by attachment of TBBPA moieties and/or their respective cleavage products. In the case of polybromodiphenylethers, the positive mode provided M*+ ions and gave better results for congeners ranging from mono- to pentabromodiphenylethers whereas for higher bromination degrees, the negative ion mode (providing [M - Br + O]- ions) was best suited. Under both positive and negative ionisation modes, the use of toluene as doping agent gave better results. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry by means of atmospheric pressure photo-ionisation was applied to the analysis of aromatic brominated flame retardants and their degradation products. This methodology proved to be particularly useful, for the characterisation and structural identification of some compounds which are not amenable to GC-MS, especially in the case of apolar "polymeric" degradation products of tetrabromobisphenol A investigated in this work.     

Studies of degradation enhancement of polystyrene by flame retardant additives

Experimental methods as well as thermodynamic modeling techniques were utilized to explore potential gas and condensed-phase contributions of various flame retardant (FR) additives with polystyrene polymer. FR additives investigated include hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), triphenyl phosphine oxide (TPPO), triphenyl phosphate (TPP), triphenyl phosphine sulfide (TPPS), and sulfur. Flame studies of fundamental FR activity were also employed using molecular beam mass spectrometry analysis of FR active species directly in a flame system. The flame studies show direct evidence for active bromine (HBr, Br) species for HBCD and active phosphorous species (HPO₂, PO, PO₂ HPO₃) species for TPPO and TPP which provide high potential for gas-phase activity for these FR additives. Various experimental measurements were also done to assess the degradation species and the degree of degradation of polystyrene by the FR additives. These studies support enhanced degradation of the base polystyrene polymer by the FR additive as a major pathway for condensed FR activity for HBCD and sulfur FR additives. Phosphorous based structures appear to show little enhancement of polystyrene degradation.     

BiVO4光催化去除废水中的四环素和环丙沙星

利用微波水热法制备单斜白钨矿型BiVO4为光催化剂,探讨其对抗生素类污染物的去除效果.同时利用X射线衍射(XRD)、傅里叶红外(FT-IR)和场发射扫描电镜(FE-SEM)等测试手段对样品结构和性能进行了表征.以四环素(TC)和环丙沙星(CIP)为目标污染物,研究光照时间、pH及Cu(Ⅱ)共存对BiVO4光催化降解抗生素性能的影响.结果表明:BiVO4对TC和CIP的光催化具有较为宽泛的pH适用范围,其中TC在pH为5~12之间具有良好的效果,pH=8时,降解效率达到74%;CIP在pH为4~9之间适用范围最好,降解率由26%升高到37%.此外,对TC和CIP光催化降解机理和可能的降解途径进行探讨,光催化降解主要机理是有效光生电子-空穴与OH-和O2结合,将TC和CIP分解为中间产物CO2和H2O.总之,单斜白钨矿型BiVO4用于模拟抗生素废水的研究,取得一定效果,可为实际抗生素废水的处理提供参考.     

Thermal degradation and flame retardancy of epoxy resins containing intumescent flame retardant

Pentaerythritol diphosphonate melamine-urea-formaldehyde resin salt, a novel cheap macromolecular intumescent flame retardants (IFR), was synthesized, and its structure was a caged bicyclic macromolecule containing phosphorus characterized by IR. Epoxy resins (EP) were modified with IFR to get the flame retardant EP, whose flammability and burning behavior were characterized by UL 94 and limiting oxygen index (LOI). 25 mass% of IFR were doped into EP to get 27.2 of LOI and UL 94 V-0. The thermal properties of epoxy resins containing IFR were investigated with thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG). Activation energy for the decomposition of samples was obtained using Kissinger equation. The resultant data show that for EP containing IFR, compared with EP, IFR decreased mass loss, thermal stability and R _max, increased the char yield. The activation energy for the decomposition of EP is 230.4 kJ mol⁻¹ while it becomes 193.8 kJ mol⁻¹ for EP containing IFR, decreased by 36.6 kJ mol⁻¹, which shows that IFR can catalyze decomposition and carbonization of EP.     

固相萃取-气相色谱/质谱联用法测定儿童手推车中3种有机磷酸酯阻燃剂

有机磷酸酯是一类重要的磷系阻燃剂,由于其具有类似持久性有机污染物(persistent organic pollutants, POPs)的性质,欧美等国家已纷纷设立相关法规限制其在儿童用品中的使用。目前国际和国内均未有儿童手推车中有机磷酸酯阻燃剂的检测标准。本文建立了儿童手推车中3种有机磷酸酯阻燃剂的超声萃取-弗罗里硅土固相萃取柱净化-气相色谱/质谱检测方法。该方法的加标回收率为89.5%~107.3%,检出限(3S/N)为0.01 mg/kg,定量限(10S/N)为0.1 mg/kg,能较好地排除基质干扰,适用于儿童手推车软垫材料中3种有机磷酸酯的定性和定量分析。37个样品的分析结果表明,磷酸三(2-氯丙基)酯(TCPP)的检出率为81.1%,含量范围为1.0~15312.8 mg/kg,依据欧盟玩具新指令2014/79/EU, TCPP超标(> 5 mg/kg)率为32.4%;其中2个样品中还检出了磷酸三(2-氯乙基)酯(TCEP)和磷酸三(1,3-二氯-2-丙基)酯(TDCP),含量范围为6.2~44.1 mg/kg,均已超标。可见,市场上的儿童手推车存在较高的有机磷酸酯阻燃剂暴露风险。     

Thermal properties of compounds possessing both solid-phase and gas-phase flame retardant potential

Effective additives are required to impart a measure of fire retardancy to polymeric materials used in a variety of applications. Traditionally, these have been gas-phase active additives, most commonly organohalogen compounds, or solid-phase active agents, often organophosphorus compounds. Organosphosphorus flame retardants are often very effective but may suffer from a cost disadvantage when compared with their organobromine counterparts. Organohalogen flame retardants are usually quite effective but their use is subject to several environmental concerns. The development of additives that could simultaneously promote both types of fire retardant action could make available flame retardants that are both more cost effective and more environmentally friendly than those currently in use. Several sets of compounds including bromoanilino triazine derivatives and bromoaryl phosphates with the potential to display both solid-phase and gas-phase flame retardant activity have been prepared and evaluated by a variety of thermal methods.     

Flame retardancy and thermal degradation of intumescent flame retardant polypropylene material

The flame retardancy and thermal degradation properties of polypropylene (PP) containing intumescent flame retardant additives, i.e. melamine pyrophosphate (MPyP) and charring‐foaming agent (CFA) were characterized by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL 94, cone calorimeter, microscale combustion calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It has been found that the PP material containing only MPyP does not show good flame retardancy even at 30% additive level. Compared with the PP/MPyP binary system, the LOI values of the PP/MPyP/CFA ternary materials at the same additive loading are all increased, and UL 94 rating is raised to V‐0 from no rating (PP/MPyP). The cone calorimeter results show that the heat release rate and mass loss rate of some ternary materials decrease in comparison with the binary material. The microscale combustion calorimetry results indicate that the sample containing 22.5 wt% MPyP and 7.5 wt% CFA has the lowest heat release rate among all samples. The TGA results show that the thermal stability of the materials increases with the addition of MPyP, while decreases with the addition of CFA. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

气相色谱法测定及预测有机磷阻燃剂的蒸气压

以p,p′-二氯二苯三氯乙烷(p,p′-DDT)为参考化合物,采用气相色谱法(GC)测定了14种有机磷阻燃剂(OPFRs)在不同温度(T)条件下的蒸气压(P_(GC))及其蒸发热。根据获得的蒸气压值,发现14种OPFRs的log P_(GC)随着温度的增加而减小。初步探讨了分子结构与log P_(GC)的相关性,结果发现卤代烷基磷酸酯的log P_(GC)低于烷基和芳基磷酸酯,且随着分子摩尔体积的增大,相应的log P_(GC)呈下降趋势。采用逐步回归的方法,建立了OPFRs的相对保留时间(RRT)与log P_(GC)之间的定量构效关系(QSPR)模型,模型的累计交叉有效判别系数Q2cum为0.946。模型对OPFRs的log P_(GC)预测值与实验值有良好的相关性(r=0.980),结果表明所建模型具有良好的稳健性和预测能力。利用建立的方法,通过测定的保留时间参数以及定量构效关系模型,可有效预测目前没有标准品的OPFRs的log P_(GC)值。     

Ultraviolet photocatalytic degradation of cholesterol on TiO2: secondary ion mass spectrometry

Cholesterol (C₂₇H₄₆O stated as M) is used as a model of bio‐organic contamination, because this compound is in almost every living organism, and its photocatalytic degradation on titanium oxide (TiO₂) surface with UV exposure is investigated. Secondary ion mass spectrometry as a surface‐sensitive technique is suited to study this degradation process with focus on intermediates. A fragment of M–OH represents the intact molecule of cholesterol and provides its relative concentration on the surface. The intensity of M–OH decreases after 24‐h UV irradiation, and the level of degradation is 89% with the pseudo‐first kinetic constant of 0.0207 min^?1 within 2 h. A fragment of MO–H represents an intermediate as one of the cholesterol oxidation products. The irradiation from a bottom in comparison with a top reveals the differences in the mechanism of the intermediate formation through the intensity and the kinetics with values of factor of 1/3 and 30 min, respectively. The roles of electrons and holes, primarily generated in TiO₂ by UV, and also of superoxide anion radical and hydroxyl radical, as the secondary reactive species, are discussed to illustrate the bottom/top mechanisms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers in sediment samples using microwave-assisted extraction and gas chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A procedure for the determination of 10 organophosphates, used as flame retardants and plasticizers, in sediment samples is presented. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and gas chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS) were used for sample preparation and analytes determination, respectively. Influence of different variables on the performance of extraction and determination processes is thoroughly discussed. Temperature, type and amount of organic solvent showed a major effect on the yield of MAE. Regarding GC-ICP-MS detection, the combination of pulsed splitless injection with low radio frequency (rf) power, hard extraction conditions (referred to lens voltage) and addition of nitrogen (0.03 L min⁻¹) to the argon plasma provided the best sensitivity. Under final working conditions, recoveries between 78% and 105%, for samples spiked at different concentration levels, and limits of quantification from 2 to 4 ng g⁻¹ were achieved. Analysis of unspiked sediments confirmed the excellent selectivity of the proposed method for real-life polluted sample analysis.     

Determination of organophosphate flame retardants in soil and fish using ultrasound‐assisted extraction,solid‐phase clean‐up,and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

A solid–liquid extraction method in combination with high‐performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry was developed and optimized for extraction and analysis of organophosphorus flame retardants in soil and fish. Methanol was chosen as the optimum extraction solvent, not only in terms of extraction efficiency, but also for its broader analyte coverage. The subsequent clean‐up by solid‐phase extraction is required to eliminate matrix coextractives and reduce matrix effects. Recoveries of the optimized method were 50–121% for soil and 47–123% for biota, both with high precision (RSDs <12% in soil and <23% in biota). The method limits of detection ranged from 0.06 to 0.20 ng/g dry weight and between 0.02 and 0.30 ng/g wet weight for soil and biota samples, respectively. However, samples with a high lipid content produce several problems as solid‐phase extraction cartridge clogging that increase variability and analysis time. The method was successfully applied for the determination of organophosphorus flame retardants in soil and fish from L'Albufera Natural Park (Valencia, Spain). Target compounds were detected in all soil and fish samples with values varying from 13.8 to 89.7 ng/g dry weight and from 3.3 to 53.0 ng/g wet weight, respectively.     

微波辅助萃取-气相色谱/串联质谱法快速测定纺织品中禁用有机磷阻燃剂

以丙酮为萃取溶剂,采用微波辅助萃取技术对纺织品中禁用有机磷阻燃剂进行萃取,萃取液进行气相色谱/串联质谱测定,从而建立了一种微波萃取-气相色谱/串联质谱分析方法,对纺织品中禁用有机磷阻燃剂进行了测定。6种禁用有机磷阻燃剂三-(1-氮杂环丙烯基)氧化膦(TEPA)、三-(2-氯乙基)磷酸酯(TCEP)、三-(2,3-二氯丙基)磷酸酯(TDCP)、二-(2,3-二溴丙基)磷酸酯(DDBPP)、三-(邻甲苯基)磷酸酯(TOCP)和三-(2,3-二溴丙基)磷酸酯(TRIS)的线性范围分别为9.17~366.80、0.95~75.98、1.04~83.20、41.60~832.00、3.80~75.90、40.48~809.60 ?g/L,在S/N=10的条件下,检出限分别为3.0、0.2、0.3、25.0、2.5、29.0 ?g/kg。方法精密度为3.80~8.79 %,回收率为82.62~96.88 %。气相色谱/串联质谱母离子和子离子一一对应的多反应监测模式有效地去除了基体杂质干扰和假阳性现象。该方法简便快速、灵敏度高,定性准确,可完全满足纺织品中禁用有机磷阻燃剂的检测要求。     

Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in human milk samples in the Czech Republic: Comparative study of negative chemical ionisation mass spectrometry and time-of-flight high-resolution mass spectrometry

In the Czech Republic no study on the levels of brominated flame retardants in human milk has been conducted, yet. In the first step analytical method for determination of PBDEs in this bioindicator matrix was implemented. Liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) (hexane, diethyl ether), followed by gel permeation chromatography was employed for isolation of PBDEs. Identification and quantification of PBDEs was carried out by GC–MS operated in negative chemical ionisation (NCI). Two mass spectrometric technologies, one employing quadrupole and the other one high resolution (HR) time-of-flight (TOF) analyzer, etc. were used in our study. Detection limits (LODs) obtained by quadrupole analyzer ranged from 0.02 to 0.05 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight, using high resolution time-of-flight analyzer LODs were significantly lower, ranging from 0.002–0.005 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight, what enabled detection of minor PBDE congeners.

Within this pilot study 103 breast milk samples, obtained from mothers living in Olomouc region, were examined. Ten PBDE congeners were determined. All samples examined till now contained PBDEs residues, the dominating contaminant representing this group was congener BDE 47. In most of analysed samples levels of this compound ranged from 0.2 to 2 ng g⁻¹ of lipid weight. Three exceptionally contaminated samples, containing levels of PBDEs 5–10 times higher than other samples, were found.     

Effect of a novel charring-foaming agent on flame retardancy and thermal degradation of intumescent flame retardant polypropylene

A new triazine polymer was synthesized by using cyanuric chloride, ethanolamine and ethylenediamine as raw materials. It is used both as a charring agent and as a foaming agent in intumescent flame retardants, designated as charring-foaming agent (CFA). Effect of CFA on flame retardancy, thermal degradation and mechanical properties of intumescent flame retardant polypropylene (PP) system (IFR-PP system) has been investigated. The results demonstrated that the intumescent flame retardant (IFR) consisting of CFA, APP and Zeolite 4A is very effective in flame retardancy of PP. It was found that when the weight ratio of CFA to APP is 1:2, that is, the components of the IFR are 64 wt% APP, 32 wt% CFA and 4 wt% Zeolite 4A, the IFR presents the most effective flame retardancy in PP systems. LOI value of IFR-PP reaches 37.0, when the IFR loading is 25 wt% in PP. It was also found that when the IFR loading is only 18 wt% in PP, the flame retardancy of IFR-PP can still pass V-0 rating, and its LOI value reaches 30.2. TGA data obtained in pure nitrogen demonstrated that CFA has a good ability of char formation itself, and CFA shows a high initial temperature of the thermal degradation. The char residue of CFA can reach 35.7 wt% at 700 °C. APP could effectively promote the char formation of the APP-CFA system. The char residue reaches 39.7 wt% at 700 °C, while it is 19.5% based on calculation. The IFR can change the thermal degradation behaviour of PP, enhance T_max of the decomposition peak of PP, and promote PP to form char, based upon the results of the calculation and the experiment. This is attributed to the fact that endothermic reactions took place in IFR charring process and the char layer formed by IFR prevented heat from transferring into inside of IFR-PP system. TGA results further explained the effective flame retardancy of the IFR containing CFA.     

Flame retardancy and thermal degradation of intumescent flame retardant polypropylene with MP/TPMP

The performances of the novel intumescent flame retardant (IFR) polypropylene (PP) composites containing melamine phosphate (MP) and tris(1‐oxo‐2,6,7‐trioxa‐1‐phosphabicyclo[2,2,2]methylene‐4)phosphate (TPMP) were investigated. The flame retardancy of IFR‐PP system was characterized by limiting oxygen index (LOI) and UL 94 and cone calorimeter. The morphology of the char obtained after cone calorimeter testing was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal oxidative degradation (TOD) of the composites was investigated by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and real‐time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (RT‐FTIR). Compared with the PP/ TPMP or PP/ MP binary composite, at the same addition level, the LOI values of the PP/MP/TPMP ternary composites increase and reach V‐0 at the suitable MP/TPMP ratio. The results of TGA and RT‐FTIR showed the existence of the interaction between IFR and PP. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A rapid method for the determination of brominated flame retardant concentrations in plastics and textiles entering the waste stream

Due to new European legislation, products going to waste are subject to ‘low persistent organic pollutant concentration limits’. Concentrations of restricted brominated flame retardants in waste products must be determined. A rapid extraction and clean‐up method was developed for determination of brominated flame retardants in various plastics and textiles. The optimised method used vortexing and ultrasonication in dichloromethane followed by sulfuric acid clean‐up to determine target compounds. Poly‐brominated diphenyl ethers were determined by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and hexabromocyclododecane by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Good recoveries of target analytes were obtained after three extraction cycles. The method was validated using poly‐propylene and poly‐ethylene certified reference materials as well as previously characterised textiles, expanded and extruded poly‐styrene samples. Measured concentrations of target compounds showed good agreement with the certified values indicating good accuracy and precision. Clean extracts provided low noise levels resulting in low limits of quantification (0.8–1.5 ng/g for poly‐brominated diphenyl ethers and 0.3 ng/g for α‐, β‐ and γ‐hexabromocyclododecane). The developed method was applied successfully to real consumer products entering the waste stream and it provided various advantages over traditional methods, including reduced analysis time, solvent consumption, minimal sample contamination and high sample throughput, which is crucial to comply with the implemented legislation.     

Combustion properties and thermal degradation behavior of polylactide with an effective intumescent flame retardant

An intumescent flame retardant spirocyclic pentaerythritol bisphosphorate disphosphoryl melamine (SPDPM) has been synthesized and its structure was characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectrometry (FTIR), ¹H and ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonances (NMR). A series of polylactide (PLA)-based flame retardant composites containing SPDPM were prepared by melt blending method. The combustion properties of PLA/SPDPM composites were evaluated through UL-94, limiting oxygen index (LOI) tests and microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) experiments. It is found that SPDPM integrating acid, char and gas sources significantly improved the flame retardancy and anti-dripping performance of PLA. When 25 wt% flame retardant was added, the composites achieved UL-94 V0, and the LOI value was increased to 38. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the weight loss rate of PLA was decreased by introduction of SPDPM. In addition, the thermal degradation process and possible flame retardant mechanism of PLA composites with SPDPM were analyzed by in situ FTIR.     

DNA aptamers for selective identification and separation of flame retardant chemicals

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are group of chemicals which are representative persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and used as brominated flame retardants for many consumer products. PBDEs were phased out since 2009 but are still frequently observed in various environmental matrices and human body. Here, we report ssDNA aptamers which bind to BDE47, one of the PBDE congeners commonly found in various environmental matrices, and show affinity to other major tri-to hepta- BDE congeners. The PBDE specific aptamers were isolated from random library of ssDNA using Mag-SELEX. Two out of 15 sequences, based on their alignment and hairpin loop structures, were chosen to determine dissociation constant with BDE47 and showed from picomolar to nanomolar affinities (200 pM and 1.53 nM). The aptamers displayed high selectivity to the original target, BDE47, and implying general specificity to PBDE backbone with varying affinities to other congeners. Further, we showed that the use of two aptamers together could enhance the separation efficiency of BDE47 and other BDE congeners when dissolved in a solvent compared to use of single aptamer. These aptamers are expected to provide a tool for preliminary screening or quick separation of PBDEs in environmental samples prior to trace quantitative analysis.