Screening of brominated pyrolysis products of tetrabromobisphenol a by integrating controllable heating device with ambient mass spectrometry

Abstract Pyrolysis, an effective recycle strategy for resins or plastic containing tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), often lead to formation of more toxic decomposition chemicals. Online collection coupled with off-line analysis for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the residue often induce information loss of these pyrolysis products. In this study, a temperature controllable thermal decomposition device coupled with an ambient mass spectrometry was directly employed for on-line monitoring of the pyrolysis process of TBBPA. Thermal products through debromination, methylation, methoxylation and β-scission have all been detected. Based on the mass spectra of TBBPA decomposition products, the number of bromine atoms and the m/z values, about 8 brominated decomposition products/intermediates have been identified. Temperature played the critical role for the pyrolysis processes. It was found that few TBBPA degraded at low temperature (100−150 °C), intensified decomposition happened at about 300 °C and small molecules formed in large quantities at > 450 °C.