ISOLATION AND DETERMINATION OF TOXIC CONGENERS OF POLYCHLORINATED-BIPHENYLS IN ENVIRONMENTAL-SAMPLES

A method has been developed for the separation and enrichment of three non-ortho, eight mono-ortho, and two di-ortho substituted polychlorin ated biphenyls (PCBs) from Aroclor formulations and environmental samp les. The fractionation is accomplished using high performance liquid c hromatography (HPLC) with a 2-(1-pyrenyl)ethyldimethylsilylated silica column. GC-MSD with an optimized temperature program was used for qua ntitation. Hexane, pentane, cyclohexane, iso-octane, and 2-propanol we re tested as a mobile phase for the isolation of the thirteen target P CBs in a Aroclor 1242, 1254, and 1260 (1:1:1) mixture. Pentane at room temperature with a flow rate of 0.7 ml/min is the condition of choice . The average recovery of thirteen target PCBs spiked in the Aroclor m ixture is 99.5 % with an average relative standard deviation of 4.5 %. The average method detection limit is 8 pg/mu l. Target PCBs in the r eference soils, incinerator ash, and sediment samples were measured.