Retention-time database of 126 polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners and two Bromkal technical mixtures on seven capillary gas chromatographic columns

The elution order of 126 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) was determined for seven different gas chromatographic (GC) stationary phases. The resulting database facilitates selection of the most suitable GC columns for developing a quantitative, congener-specific BDE analysis and the testing of retention prediction algorithms based on structure relationships of GC phases and congener substitution patterns. In addition, co-elutions of the principal BDE congeners with other BDEs and/or with other brominated flame retardants were investigated and, as an application, the composition of two Bromkal mixtures (70-5DE and 79-8DE) was studied.