American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 1987-09-01

Determination of 2,3-dibromopropanol in air.

G Choudhary

Index: Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 48(9) , 809-13, (1987)

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Abstract

One of the starting materials for the preparation of TRIS-BP (tris-2,3-dibromopropanol phosphate), which is used in the treatment of fabrics and various materials to make them nonflammable, is 2,3-dibromopropanol. Because of the reported toxic nature of its parent phosphate compound, 2,3-dibromopropanol recently has been used by itself as a fire retardant. The manufacture and use of 2,3-dibromopropanol as a fire retardant, however, have been a matter of great concern in the workplace because of its mutagenic, carcinogenic and nephrotoxic nature. A sensitive air sampling and analytical method has been developed as part of a complete field survey protocol. This paper describes the development of an air sampling and gas-liquid chromatographic analysis procedure for 2,3-dibromopropanol. The detection limit for the method is 5 microg per sample and the relative standard deviation for the method is 5%.