Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are carcinogenic to humans and can be found in Fuller’s earth used for the regeneration of used transformer oil. This work describes a highly selective gas chromatographic-selected ion monitoring mass spectrometric method (GC-MS/SIM) for the simultaneous determination of three Aroclor PCB congener mixtures (1242, 1254, and 1260). The separation of the PCBs could be systematically varied by changing the temperature conditions of the chromatographic column. Methods were first selected from the literature, and the resolution of the PCBs was then optimized by adjusting k* (effective retention), a (selectivity), and N (column efficiency), enabling the detection of 83 PCBs in 35 min. The extract of PCBs from Fuller’s earth was obtained by ultrasonication (employing hexane and acetone as solvents) and cleanup with Florisil and was concentrated to about 500 µL. The ions analyzed in SIM mode were divided into groups according to the similarity (m/z) of the PCB fragmentation profiles. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.19 and 0.64 µg kg-1, respectively. The method developed was used to determine the PCBs present in Fuller’s earth provided by an electric power company. The mean total PCBs concentration was found 1.9 µg kg-1 in Fuller’s earth.
Highlights
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are compounds that generally consist of two phenyl groups with benzene rings that are bonded to chlorine atoms.[1]
PCBs can be found in dielectric and coolant fluids, for example in electrical apparatus, cutting fluids used for machining operations, carbon paper, and heat transfer fluids.[3]
The detection of a greater number of compounds in the latter case was due to the similarity between the stationary phase (5% phenyl, 95% dimethylpolysiloxane) and the PCBs
Summary
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are compounds that generally consist of two phenyl groups with benzene rings that are bonded to chlorine atoms.[1] The compounds have log Kow (octanol-water partition coefficient) values in the region of 5-8, indicating a high degree of lipophilicity.[2] PCBs can be found in dielectric and coolant fluids, for example in electrical apparatus, cutting fluids used for machining operations, carbon paper, and heat transfer fluids.[3]. The production of PCBs has been banned since the 1970s and 1980s. According to the Stockholm Convention, these substances are considered persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that can cause harm to the environment and human health. In order to control emissions of PCBs, all parties to the Stockholm Convention are obliged to stop using PCBs before 2025.4 In order to achieve this goal, companies need to decontaminate their equipment and implement waste management strategies.[5]
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