ABSTRACT

The primary concerns over polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in the Canadian environment are their adverse effects on human health, wildlife, and commercial and sport fishing. A fire at a wood treatment plant which used pentachlorophenols (PCPs) as preservatives aroused public concern because of the potential for exposure to toxic chemicals, and the contamination of adjacent properties and of waters downstream from runoff sources. The Finnigan 4500 high-resolution column gas chromatography-low-resolution mass spectrometry was used for the identification and quantification of PCDD/PCDF. In one of the solid residue samples designated for landfill disposal, the measured PCDD/PCDF levels were 1.7 and 0.4 pg/g. All wood preservative samples collected were divided into two aliquots: one for the analysis of PCDD/PCDF by gas chromatography/mass selective detector and the other for chlorophenols (CPs). CPs was extracted into an aqueous solution of potassium carbonate, derivatized using acetic anyhdride and back-extracted into hexane.