Release and Transformation of BTBPE During the Thermal Treatment of Flame Retardant ABS Plastics

Thermal scenarios inevitably occur during the lifecycle of engineering plastics laden with brominated flame retardants (BFRs). However, little information on the fate of embedded BFRs during the thermal processes is available. In this study, we measured the release and transformation of a typical BFR, 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), during the thermal treatment of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastics. The possible thermal scenarios were simulated by varying the heating temperature and atmosphere. The maximum release rate of BTBPE was observed at 350 °C. A release kinetic model was developed to explore the mechanism of BTBPE release while heating ABS. Material-phase diffusion was found to be the rate-determining step during release. According to the developed release model, it was estimated that 0.04-0.17% of embedded BTBPE could be released to air during the industrial processing of ABS plastics. When the heating temperature was ≥350 °C, approximately 15-56% of embedded BTBPE decomposed to bromophenols (BPs) and 1,3,5-tribromo-2-(vinyloxy) benzene (TBVOB), and the decomposition followed a first-order kinetics at 350 °C. Polybrominated dibenzo- p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs) were also significantly formed at ≥350 °C from BPs and TBVOB via a precursor mechanism. A higher temperature (≥450 °C) was favorable for the formation of PBDFs.