Identification and gas-liquid chromatographic determination of aryl phosphate residues in environmental samples.

Aryl phosphates are widely used as flame retardant plasticizers and hydraulic fluids. Laboratory exposures of rainbow trout to a commercial phosphate hydraulic fluid in a flow-through system resulted in substantial biomagnification. Aryl phosphate residues in fish are extracted and cleaned up by the AOAC method for pesticides in fatty foods, and are detected by phosphorus-selective gas-liquid chromatography. Residues of several aryl phosphate mixtures were detected in fish near industrial sites at concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 1 ppm (edible portion basis).