Synthesis and Identification of Highly Toxic Polybrominated Biphenyls in the Fire Retardant Fire Master BP-6

The identity of over 91% of the polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) components present in fire Master BP-6 was determined by capillary gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry (MS) with 22 individual PBB congeners as reference standards. There was an excellent correlation between the observed retention times of the individual PBBs (and of the corresponding GC peaks in fire Master) and the expected retention times calculated from the degree of bromination and substituent orientation for the PBB standards. Previous studies indicate that the more toxic PBBs are also inducers of rat hepatic microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH). This paper reports the GC and GC-MS identification of seven additional PBBs in fire Master that also induce aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase. Included in this group of seven potentially toxic PBBs are the coplanar 3, 3', 4', 4'-tetra-, 3, 3-, 4, 4-, 5-penta-, and 3, 3-, 4, 4-, 5, 5'-hexabromobiphenyls, which represent the most toxic group of PBB congeners identified in fire Master.