COMPREHENSIVE, QUANTITATIVE, CONGENER-SPECIFIC ANALYSES OF 8 AROCLORSAND COMPLETE PCB CONGENER ASSIGNMENTS ON DB-1 CAPILLARY GC COLUMNS

We have determined complete polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener as signments and weight percent distributions for all major (> 0.5 wt%) P CB components of Aroclors 1221, 1232, 1242, 1016, 1248, 1254, 1260, 12 62 that are resolved by DB-1 (poIydimethylsiloxane) capillary GC colum ns. Aroclor components present between 0.05 and 0.5 wt% were also iden tified but not quantified. Quantitation was done using a combination o f GC-ELCD (Hall electrolytic conductivity detector) and GC-MS measurem ents. All 209 PCB congeners have been assigned to the 124 peaks that c an be resolved on DB-1 columns. The data support use of these eight Ar oclors individually or in customized standards for calibrating the com prehensive, quantitative, congener-specific PCB analyses that are nece ssary for accurate quantitation of the complex and often radically alt ered mixtures of PCBs typically found in the environment. Copyright (C ) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd