THE DECHLORINATION AND DEGRADATION OF AROCLOR-1242

Titanocene dichloride, in conjunction with sodium borohydride and pyri dine, was shown to dechlorinate Aroclor 1242 to give biphenyl. This wa s observed as a shift in the congener profile from more heavily chlori nated congeners to the lower chlorinated congeners over the time cours e of the reaction. The dechlorination process resulted in a transient increase in concentration of the monochlorinated biphenyls, particular ly 3-chlorobiphenyl. Dechlorination in the presence of alternative ami nes or in PCB-contaminated soils proceeded at reduced rates and yielde d mono- and dichlorobiphenyls in the final product. Since three hybrid bacteria had previously been produced for the mineralisation of biphe nyl and lower chlorinated biphenyls, chemical dechlorination of the PC B mixture (Aroclor 1242) or of contaminated soils produces a potential feed for an aerobic microbial process for complete chlorobiphenyl min eralisation. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited