Contamination of the Bay of Fundy—Gulf of Maine area with Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Polychlorinated Terphenyls, Chlorinated Dibenzodioxins, and Dibenzofurans

Abstract

The procedure used to determine polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs), chlorinated dibenzodioxins, and chlorinated dibenzofurans is outlined in Table 1. It is based on the cleanup-chromatography of Holden and Marsden (1), modified as described (2). Most PCBs are eluted in fraction I. Fraction II contains some PCBs, p , p'-DDE, and PCTs, whereas heptachlor exposide, dieldrin, endrin, p,p'-DDD, and p,p '-DDT are eluted in fraction III. Fractions I and II are further chromatographed on alumina, essentially according to Porter and Burke (3), to determine chlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans. PCTs, hexaand octachlorodibenzodioxin, and octachlorodibenzofuran were quantified by gas chromatography on 3% OV-210 on Chromosorb WAW 60/80 in a 6 ft X 4 mm column at 200'C. A 4% SE-30 column was used to quantify PCBs, chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides, 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin, di-, tri-, and tetrachlorodibenzofuran. Recovery of PCBs and chlorinated hydrocarbon