CALCULATION OF THE POLYCHLORINATED TERPHENYL CONGENER DISTRIBUTION AND GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC RETENTION BEHAVIOR OF SELECTED SINGLE STANDARDS ON 4 STATIONARY LIQUID-PHASES

The distribution of the 8557 theoretically possible structures of poly chlorinated terphenyls (PCT) over the different degrees of chlorinatio n and basic terphenyl backbones has been calculated and is presented i n detail. As congeners missing chlorine atoms in an ortho position are suspected to be as noxious to organisms as dioxins, the number of the se congeners is specified as well. The gas chromatographic retention b ehavior of 14 PCT single standards is studied on four stationary liqui d phases for capillary columns (HP-Ultra 1, HP-5MS, RSL-300 and Polyca rbonate) relative to 2,2',3,4,4',5,5'-heptachlorobiphenyl and shows no consequent separation of PCT in terms of the degree of chlorination. Individual congeners have been assessed for their suitability as inter nal standards in PCT analysis.