A total of 51 polystyrene samples, consisting of 32 in pellet forms and 19 as finished articles, were analyzed for the following volatile substances: toloune, ethyl benzene, isopropyl benzene, n-propyl benzene and styrene. These volatile substances were determined by gas chromatography. The volatile substances in 32 polystyrene pellet samples were found to be as follows: the toluene content ranged from not detected in 30 samples to 76 ppm; ethyl benzene content fron not detected in 3 samples to 878 ppm; isopropyl benzene content from not detected in 10 samples to 650 ppm; n-propylbenzene content from not detected in 12 samples to 453 ppm; styrene monomer content from 787 to 3059 ppm; total volatile substances from 787 to 3389 ppm. In 19 finished articles, the values obtained for toulene content ranged from not detected in 17 samples to 86 ppm; ethyl benzene content from not detected in 6 samples to 1797 ppm; isopropyl benzene content from not detected in 11 samples to 363 ppm; n-propyl benzene content from not detected in 11 samples to 178 ppm; styrene monomer content from 670 to 2705 ppm; total volatile substances from 677 to 4528 ppm. All samples were shown to contain styrene monometer, however, only 1 finished article and 5 pellet samples exceeded 2000 ppm level.(Author)

BFAD Laboratory Information Bulletin, 1995 1 (1) pages 35-41