Congener Specific Analysis of 140 Chlorobiphenyls in Technical Mixtures on Five Narrow-Bore GC Columns

Abstract

Abstract The separation of 140 chlorobiphenyl (CB) congeners from technical polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixtures was investigated on five narrow-bore (0.22–0.25 mm I.D.) gas chromatography (GC) columns with stationary phases representing a broad range of polarities: dimethylsiloxane (0.15 μm SIL-5, 50 m), 5% diphenyl dimethylsiloxane (0.26 μm SIL-8, 50 m), 14% cyanopropylphenyl 1% vinyl dimethylsiloxane (0.26 μm SIL-19, 50 m), bis-cyanopropyl phenylsiloxane (0.20 μm SIL-88, 50 m) and 1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecarborane dimethylsiloxane (0.1 μm HT-5, 25 m). Technical PCB mixtures (Aroclors) and authentic standards (totally 66 CBs) were injected on the narrow-bore columns and analyzed by GC-ECD and GC-MS. Peak assignments were based on experimental data together with published retention data and data on the quantitative composition of Aroclors. Structural principles for retention of CBs on polar stationary GC phases were developed. Surprisingly, the general performance of the classical column for PCB analysis, 5% diphenyl dimethylsiloxane, was slightly worse than of the other tested columns indicating that interest should be given to other columns for the analysis of PCBs as single congeners.