Flame Retardants are common additives contained in a wide variety of consumer and industrial products, either applied to objects after the event or formulated into the products as part of production. The presence and impact of these substances in the environment has been part of a global research effort for decades.

  • As the originator of the EPA Method 1614 for PBDEs, we are acknowledged as a method development leader in flame retardants.
  • From legacy polybrominated diphenyl ethers penta, octa and deca-BDE, to replacement chlorinated and brominated flame retardants to phosphate-based flame retardants, our suite of 50+ flame retardants is unparalleled in the industry.
  • Our attention to detail and careful laboratory procedures result in low background levels for these ubiquitous contaminants enabling low-level ambient environment and tissue analysis.

Our Offering

Familiy Targets Matrices
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) – EPA 1614 extended 46 Aqueous, Solid, Tissue, Serum, Passive, High-Volume
Current-use chlorinated and brominated 26 Aqueous, Solid, Tissue
Phosphate-based (OPFRs) 13 Aqueous, Solid
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) 1 Aqueous, Solid, Tissue, Serum
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) 3 Aqueous, Solid, Tissue, Serum

Application Spotlight

Tracking PBDE Trends in the Great Lakes using Trout

Environment and Climate Change Canada scientists (Zhou et al. 2019) used SGS AXYS measurements of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Great Lakes trout to understand PBDEs trends following phaseout of some of these persistent flame retardants. The results neatly track the peak, phase-out and replacement of the penta/octaBDE products. However, declines in the fish have stopped due to the breakdown of the replacement decaBDE into shorter chain products that fish can uptake. Given the continuing use of decaBDE, the researchers conclude that fish will have significant concentrations of BDEs for the foreseeable future.