Revisiting Analysis of Phthalate Plasticizers Concentration in Poly(vinyl chloride)

The method of the efficient analysis of di(2-diethyl-hexyl) phthalate, tri(2-ethylhexyl) trimellitate, di(2-ethylhexyl) terephthalate, and other phthalate plasticizers concentrations in plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was developed. The method is based on quantitative dissolution of the PVC sample in methyl ethyl ketone with the consequent precipitation of PVC with hexane and concentration of phthalate in an organic layer. A capillary column-based gas chromatographic technique for phthalates separation and quantification was developed and used in conjunction with the PVC and phthalates dissolution technique. The developed method of phthalate plasticizers analysis proved to be relatively fast, reproducible, and straightforward. (C) 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers