ISO/TR 17881-3:2018

Textiles - Determination of certain flame retardants - Part 3: Chlorinated paraffin flame retardants

ISO/TR 17881-3:2018 describes a method for determining short-chain chlorinated paraffins (C10-C13) (SCCPs) in textiles using carbon skeleton reaction gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID). ISO/TR 17881-3:2018 is applicable to all kinds of textile products.

Textiles — Détermination de certains retardateurs de flamme — Partie 3: Retardateurs de flamme à base de paraffines chlorées

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 15-Mar-2018
• ICS: 59.080.01 - Textiles in general
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 38 - Textiles
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 38/WG 22 - Composition and chemical testing
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 16-Mar-2018
• Completion Date: 13-Dec-2025

Relations

• Consolidated By: ISO 16486-1:2020 - Plastics piping systems for the supply of gaseous fuels - Unplasticized polyamide (PA-U) piping systems with fusion jointing and mechanical jointing - Part 1: General
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022

Overview - ISO/TR 17881-3:2018 (Chlorinated paraffin flame retardants)

ISO/TR 17881-3:2018 provides a laboratory method for the determination of short‑chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, C10–C13) in textiles. The Technical Report specifies a workflow that combines ultrasonic extraction, purification, pretesting by GC‑ECD and quantification by a carbon‑skeleton reaction gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC‑FID). It is applicable to all kinds of textile products and is part of the ISO 17881 series on flame retardant determination.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Analytes and scope: Short‑chain chlorinated paraffins (C10–C13; SCCPs) used as flame retardants in textiles.
• Extraction: Ultrasonic extraction using n‑hexane/acetone (1:1), typically from a representative ~1.00 g specimen, with duplicate extracts and blank control.
• Purification: Solid phase extraction (Florisil® SPE) and concentration prior to analysis.
• Pretesting: GC‑ECD is used for screening; if characteristic SCCP peaks appear the sample proceeds to GC‑FID quantification.
• Quantification principle: SCCPs are chemically dechlorinated (carbon‑skeleton reaction) using hydrogen over a PdCl2 catalyst to form straight‑chain alkanes (C10–C13), which are measured by GC‑FID using an external standard method.
• Calibration and controls: Reference SCCP standards with different chlorine contents (51.5 %, 55.5 %, 63 %) and straight‑chain alkane standards are used to build calibration curves. Transformation efficiency must be checked (r ≥ 80 %). Reaction injection liners contain PdCl2 catalyst and defined packing.
• Performance: Detection limit for the GC‑ECD or GC‑FID procedure is specified as 20 mg/kg.
• Reporting: Test report must reference ISO/TR 17881-3:2018 and include sample ID, SCCP chlorination degree used, measured quantity, and any procedural deviations.

Applications and who uses this standard

• Textile testing laboratories performing regulatory compliance testing or product safety verification for flame retardant content.
• Manufacturers and suppliers of textiles who need to verify SCCP levels in incoming materials or finished products.
• Regulatory bodies and conformity assessment organizations setting or enforcing chemical restrictions in textiles.
• Importers/retailers requiring documented test methods to support product safety claims.

This method supports consistent screening and quantification of SCCPs to manage chemical safety, supply‑chain compliance, and regulatory reporting.

Related standards

• ISO/TR 17881 series - other parts of this series cover determination of certain flame retardants in textiles (see the ISO website for a list of parts).

Standards Content (Sample)

TECHNICAL ISO/TR
REPORT 17881-3
First edition
2018-03
Textiles — Determination of certain
flame retardants —
Part 3:
Chlorinated paraffin flame retardants
Textiles — Détermination de certains retardateurs de flamme —
Partie 3: Retardateurs de flamme à base de paraffines chlorées
Reference number
©
ISO 2018
© ISO 2018
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Reagents . 1
6 Apparatus . 2
7 Procedure. 3
7.1 Preparation of standard solutions . 3
7.1.1 Stock standard solutions . 3
7.1.2 Working solutions . 3
7.2 Specimen extraction . 3
7.2.1 Ultrasonic wave extraction . 3
7.2.2 Purification . 3
7.3 Pretesting by GC-ECD . 4
7.4 Determination by GC-FID . 4
8 Calculation . 4
8.1 Pretesting result obtained by GC-ECD . 4
8.2 Quantity of SCCPs obtained by GC-FID . 4
9 Detection limit . 5
10 Test report . 5
Annex A (informative) Test parameters for GC-ECD . 7
Annex B (informative) Test parameters for GC-FID .11
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following
URL: www .iso .org/ iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 38, Textiles.
A list of all parts in the ISO 17881 series can be found on the ISO website.
iv © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

TECHNICAL REPORT ISO/TR 17881-3:2018(E)
Textiles — Determination of certain flame retardants —
Part 3:
Chlorinated paraffin flame retardants
WARNING — The use of this document can involve hazardous substances and/or procedures.
It refers only to technical suitability and does not purport to address all of the health and
safety risks associated with its use. It is the responsibility of users of this document to take
appropriate measures to ensure the safety and health of personnel and the environment prior
to application of the document, and it is assumed that the execution of its provisions is entrusted
to appropriately qualified and experienced people.
1 Scope
This document describes a method for determining short-chain chlorinated paraffins (C -C ) (SCCPs)
10 13
in textiles using carbon skeleton reaction gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID).
It is applicable to all kinds of textile products.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
No terms and definitions are listed in this document.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
4 Principle
SCCPs are extracted from textile specimens by an ultrasonic generator with n-hexane/acetone. SCCPs
are pretested by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and then quantified
by GC-FID using an external standard method. SCCPs are dechlorinated by reacting with hydrogen
to generate straight-chain alkane (C -C ) under the action of a PdCl catalyst. GC-FID is used to
10 13 2
determine the quantity of straight-chain alkane following an external standard method, and then the
quantity of SCCPs is calculated.
5 Reagents
Unless otherwise specified, only reagents of recognized analytical grade are used.
5.1 Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) (C -C , 51,5 % Cl), 100 µg/ml in cyclohexane.
10 13
5.2 Short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) (C -C , 55,5 % Cl), 100 µg/ml in cyclohexane.
10 13
5.3 Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) (C -C , 63 % Cl), 100 µg/ml in cyclohexane.
10 13
5.4 Straight-chain alkane (C -C ), purity > 99,5 %.
10 13
5.5 n-hexane/acetone, 1:1 (volume fraction).
5.6 Diethyl ether.
5.7 Acetic acid solution, 5 % (volume fraction).
5.8 Ammonia, 25 % (mass fraction).
5.9 Mixture of n-hexane/diethyl ether, 90/10 (volume fraction).
5.10 Cyclopentane.
5.11 Cyclohexane.
5.12 Calcium carbonate (CaCO ).
5.13 Palladium chloride (PdCl ) catalyst.
After dissolving 0,08 g of PdCl in 10 ml of 5 % acetic acid (5.7), the solution is transferred to the watch
glass filled with 19 g of glass beads (6.11). The watch glass is placed into a boiling water bath, and
the solution is constantly stir
...