High-Resolution PCB Analysis: Synthesis and Chromatographic Properties of All 209 PCB Congeners

This paper reports the synthesis and spectroscopic properties of all the mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, hexa-, and heptachlorobiphenyls and completes the synthesis of all 209 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).The retention times and molar response factors of the 209 PCBs were determined relative to a reference standard, octachloronaphthalene. The retention times for these compounds generally increased with increasing chlorine content, and it was apparent that within a series of isomers there was an increase in retention time with increasing meta and para and decreasing ortho substitution. By use of a 50-m narrow bore fused silica capillary column coated with SE-54, it was possible to separate 187 PCB congeners, and only 11 pairs of compounds were not fully resolved. With some additional analytical improvements, isomer-specific PCB analysis can be utilized to determine the composition of commercial PCBs and accurately follow the fate and distribution of these pollutants within the global ecosystem.