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.