Measurement of total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in catalytic combustion effluents using a simple HPLC procedure

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00206093· OSTI ID:48004

Perera, S P; Jefferies, T M ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Bath (United Kingdom)

The production, use and toxicity of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been discussed in detail and increasing concern has been shown by the scientific community and by the public about the effectiveness of thermal incineration as an environmentally satisfactory means of destroying polychlorinated biphenyls. Therefore, a greater need for alternative, more efficient, low energy processes such as catalytic combustion, has been discussed. This paper is part of research to investigate the catalytic combustion of Aroclor 1242 in a packed bed reactor using chromia on an alumina support and other oxidation catalysts. It was essential for these studies to be able to determine the PCB destruction efficiencies of the catalytic processes examined. The high efficiency of capillary GC columns permits the resolution of an Aroclor into a chromatogram consisting mainly of individual PCB congeners. The chromatogram may typically contain 50-150 peaks. Quantification requires each peak to be identified and individual response factors assigned before the amount of each congener present may be calculated. Response factors vary and the high cost of purchasing all individual PCB standards was prohibitive. A commonly adopted alternative method is to measure only the 6 or 7 individual PCB congeners available as a commercial mixture and convert the answer into a value for an Aroclor, not an accurate measure of the destruction efficiency of PCBs. This paper describes a simple quantitative HPLC method that measures all PCBs as a single peak. 14 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 48004
• Journal Information: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, Journal Name: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 54; ISSN 0007-4861; ISSN BECTA6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CATALYTIC COMBUSTORS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COMBUSTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EFFICIENCY
GASEOUS WASTES
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS