Plastics destined for facilities holding aquatic fauna, such as aquaculture
and aquatic toxicology laboratories, were studied. The plastics were extra
cted with dichloromethane. The fungicide 10,10'-oxybisphenoxarsine (OBPA) w
as detected by silver nitrate after cleanup on a silica cartridge and TLC i
n petroleum ether-diethyl ether-acetic acid 80:20:1. The flame retardant de
cabromodiphenyl ether (DBDPO) was crystallized from dichloromethane and con
firmed by IR spectrum. A UV-spectrophotometric method is suggested for the
estimation of the leaching potential of additives from plastics. (C) 1998 E
lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.