ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the three major separation techniques: gas chromatography (GC), thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It discusses the techniques devoted specifically to either confirmation or screening. TLC has been shown to be an effective technique for determination of Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) in a wide variety of matrices. Most of the determination techniques used for PCBs employ a chromatographic separation coupled to a detector. In an analysis where total PCB is the desired output, PGC, TLC, or HPLC may provide sufficient resolution. The qualitative discrimination power of a detector is a major factor in selection of a determination technique. The chapter focuses on separation techniques, where both packed column gas chromatography (PGC) and high resolution (capillary) gas chromatography (HRGC) techniques are discussed, and detection, where electron capture (ECD), Hall electrolytic conductivity (HECD), mass spectrometry (MS), and other detectors are discussed. It also presents nonchromatographic techniques.
