K. Schrickel et al., DETERMINATION OF COPLANAR POLYCHLORINATED -BIPHENYLS IN MINERAL-OILS AND WASTE OILS, Journal fur praktische Chemie, Chemiker-Zeitung, 339(5), 1997, pp. 456-460
Due to insufficient waste management polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) a
re often found in waste oils and in recycled mineral oil products. Bec
ause of their structure coplanar PCBs are more toxic than other congen
ers and insofar possibly comparable to polychlorinated dioxins and fur
ans (PCDD/F). Known analytical methods for PCBs in mineral oils do not
distinguish between the different toxic congeners. This paper describ
es a method of selective measurement of eleven coplanar PCBs from mine
ral oils. The complexity of the matrix and the very low concentration
of the analytes require a laborious clean-up procedure: Solid phase ex
traction (SPE) on silica impregnated with sulfuric acid, gel permeatio
n chromatography, direct treatment with cone. sulfuric acid and chroma
tography on alumina. After separation of the coplanar congeners from t
he other PCBs by chromatography on activated charcoal and on basic alu
mina they are determined by GC/high-resolution-MS.