Abstract
Twenty-four congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in 83 air samples and 20 elastic sealants samples of apartments with PCB-containing sealants. In addition, PCBs were measured in 21 air samples from reference apartments located in an uncontaminated section of the same estate. The PCBtot levels in the air of the contaminated section were 168–3843ngm−3 (mean: 1030ngm−3), while the mean levels in the reference apartments were 6.03ngm−3. The sum of the 24 measured PCB congeners in sealants from the contaminated section was 187–221680mgkg−1. Principal component analysis revealed four groups among the sealant samples with different congener compositions, only two of which were clearly similar to known PCB mixtures, while two were not. Significant correlations and intercorrelations were observed between the lower chlorinated congeners in air and sealant, e.g. for PCB 28air and 28seal (p=0.04) and for PCB 28air and 52air, 52seal. However, no correlation was observed between the lower chlorinated congeners and the sums of PCB (∑PCB6 or ∑PCB24) or the higher chlorinated congeners. Analysis of air concentrations in relation to questionnaire data indicated that the indoor air levels could be reduced by increased cleaning and airing frequencies.
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