IEC 62321-3-4 Ed. 1.0 b:2023

This part of IEC 62321 specifies procedures for the screening of di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in polymers of electrotechnical products by using high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV), thin layer chromatography (TLC) and thermal desorption mass spectrometry (TD-MS).

High performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV), thin layer chromatography (TLC) and thermal desorption mass spectrometry (TD-MS) techniques are described in the normative part of this document. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) is described in the informative annexes of this document.

The HPLC-UV and TLC techniques are suitable for screening and semi-quantitative analysis of DIBP, DBP, BBP and DEHP in polymers that are used as parts in electrotechnical products above 300 mg/kg.

Theu TD-MS technique is suitable for screening and semi-quantitative analysis of DIBP, DBP, BBP and DEHP in polymers that are used as parts in electrotechnical products above 300 mg/kg.

The FT-IR technique is suitable for preliminary screening of total phthalates (DIBP, DBP, BBP, DEHP and so forth) in polymers that are used as parts in electrotechnical products above 50 000 mg/kg.

These test methods have been evaluated by testing polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials containing individual phthalates between 500 mg/kg to 3 000 mg/kg as depicted in this document. The use of the methods described in this document for other polymer types, phthalate compounds or concentration ranges other than those specified above has not been specifically evaluated.

A flow chart is given as an example of how each method included in this document can be used for screening. The test methods in this document differ from those given in IEC 62321-8 [1]1 in that not all phthalates in this scope are separated from each other. Detectable combinations are DIBP + DBP + BBP and DEHP for the HPLC-UV technique, DIBP + DBP, BBP and DEHP for the TLC technique and TD-MS technique, total phthalates for the FT-IR technique. FT-IR is a suitable analytical technique for preliminary screening in the first step of phthalates screening. These test methods are characterized by a shorter measuring time compared with IEC 623218 because all phthalates in this scope are not separated from each other.

NOTE See Annex F for commonly used phthalates in products. 

This document has the status of a horizontal publication in accordance with IEC Guide 108 [2].