Thermally induced formation of polychlorinated dibenzofurans from Aroclor 1254-contaminated mineral oil

Journal Article · Tue Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8979273· OSTI ID:5645363

Narang, R S; Swami, K; Stein, V; Smith, R; O'Keefe, P; Aldous, K; Hilker, D; Eadon, G; Vernoy, D; Narang, A S ^[1]

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1. New York State Department of Health, Albany (USA)

Numerous laboratory simulations and real-world events have demonstrated the thermal conversion of neat or high concentration of PCBs into the much more toxic PCDFs. Since millions of mineral oil transformers currently in service contain PCB concentrations in the 50 to 5,000 ppm range, the thermal behavior of dilute PCB solutions is of practical and regulatory significance. In this work, neat Aroclor 1254 and 5,000 ppm Aroclor 1254 in mineral oil were subjected to pyrolysis and combustion under a range of experimental conditions to define parameters resulting in maximal PCDF yields. The dependence of PCDF yield on Aroclor 1254 concentrations was then investigated in the 5,000 to 50 ppm range. Combustion experiments demonstrated that PCDF yields expressed as micrograms PCDF/gram PCB were independent of concentration range, confirming that the process is kinetically first order in PCB. In all cases, yields expressed as micrograms PCDF/gram mixture were sharply and monotonically lower as concentrations decreased between neat or 5,000 ppm Aroclor 1254 and 50 ppm Aroclor 1254.

• OSTI ID: 5645363
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives; (USA) Vol. 79; ISSN 0091-6765; ISSN EVHPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AROMATICS
BENZOFURANS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
DECOMPOSITION
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
FURANS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PYROLYSIS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TOXICITY