Chris, Further to what I wrote yesterday: ASTM D3421-75 extraction followed by a GC based methodology. I don't have details and even if I did, I believe I would be constrained by an NDA in giving them out. But this is a start. Here is some trivia about phthalate world annual production: 1980's; dibutyl phthalate (DBP) 2 million tons (one of REACH's SVHCs) Now; dibutyl phthalate (DBP) 450,000 tons Today; dionyl phthalate 60,000 - 100,000 tonnes (in Europe only) 1984: di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) 110 million tons (one of REACH's SVHCs) Dictionary of Environmentally Important Chemicals by D. C. Ayres, Desmond Hellier Today: di-octyl (another name for DEHP), di-isononyl, di-isodecyl + other C7-C13 chain phthalates 5 million tons www.tecnon.co.uk/gen/z_sys_Products.aspx?productid=31 Note, one of the two above must be wrong. DEHP has its own website! Doesn't say anything about world production. http://www.dehp-facts.com/default.aspx?page=5 Phthalates are added to PVC as a plastisizers in the range of 20 - 40% and sometimes up to 55%! No wonder things fail the REACH criteria of 0.1% of total article weight, never mind thinking about RoHS's limit at the "homogeneous material that is mechanically separable" level. Bev RIM -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bev Christian Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 8:58 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] DEHP and/or BPAs Chris, I would be very surprised if DEHP is used in ordinary printed circuit boards. Phthalates of this type are usually added to plastics to make them more pliable. So the main place to look for them is in wire and cable sheathing. With regards to bisphenol A, it could conceivably be present as an impurity in tetrabromobiphenol A, but even if it was, the TBBPA (and any BPA) would/should be polymerized in the formation of the final board polymer. I equivocate because it would depend on the ratio of starting materials and how complete the reaction is. We really need one of the board guys to speak to this. I will see if I can have an answer to yoru second question tomorrow. Bev RIM -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Mahanna Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 7:20 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] DEHP and/or BPAs Are they used in Pbs? How would/could one test for their presence in a completed board? Chris --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 ----------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 -----------------------------------------------------