Isolation and identification of tetrabromobisphenol-S-bis-(2,3-dibromopropyl ether) as flame retardant in polypropylene

Approximately 4 % tetrabromobisphenol-S-bis-(2,3-dibromopropyl ether) and 0.44 % antimony were found in the back wall of a TV cabinet. This is the first time a bromoorganic flame retardant containing a sulfur linkage has been detected. No such compound has been previously mentioned in the analytical or environmental literature. Isolation from PP was performed by extraction and precipitation of coextracted polymer. After chromatographic separation (TLC, CC), the combination of 1H13C-NMR, MS (EI), FT-IR and HPLC (UV/Vis, DAD and MS) indicated the TBBP-S derivative, which was verified by synthesis of reference material.