Enantiomer separation of polychlorinated biphenyl atropisomers and polychlorinated biphenyl retention behavior on modified cyclodextrin capillary gaschromatography columns

Seven commercially-available chiral capillary gas chromatography columns co ntaining modified cyclodextrins were evaluated for their ability to separat e enantiomers of the 19 stable chiral polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) atropi somers, and for their ability to separate these enantiomers from achiral co ngeners, necessary for trace environmental analysis of chiral PCBs. The ena ntiomers of each of the 19 chiral PCBs were at least partially separated on one or more of these columns. Enantiomeric ratios of eleven atropisomers c ould also be quantified on six columns as they did not coelute with any oth er congener containing the same number of chlorine atoms, so could be quant ified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Analysis of a lake sedime nt heavily contaminated with PCBs showed enantioselective occurrence of PCB 91, proof positive of enantioselective in situ reductive dechlorination at the sampling site. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.