ABSTRACT
CONTENTS 20.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 529 20.2 Physical and Chemical Properties ............................................................................... 534 20.3 Health Effects .................................................................................................................. 536 20.4 Regulation ........................................................................................................................ 537 20.5 Analytical Methods ........................................................................................................ 538
20.5.1 Sample Collection and Storage....................................................................... 539 20.5.2 Extraction and Preconcentration of Polychlorobiphenyls.......................... 539 20.5.3 Cleanup of the Extract ..................................................................................... 548 20.5.4 Instrumental Analysis ...................................................................................... 548 20.5.5 Electron Capture Detector ............................................................................... 551 20.5.6 Mass Spectrometric Detector .......................................................................... 551 20.5.7 Identification and Quantification of Polychlorobiphenyls ........................ 553 20.5.8 Analytical Quality Control .............................................................................. 554
References ................................................................................................................................... 555
Polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) are a class of nonpolar toxic chemical compounds consisting of 209 congeners, which differ in terms of level of chlorination. The degree of PCB toxicity varies from one congener to another with values equal those of dioxins. Table 20.1 lists the IUPAC names of the 209 congeners together with the numbering most commonly used for their identification, as suggested by Ballschmiter and Zell [1].
