Determination of traces of polychlorinated biphenyls in pigments

Abstract

Abstract PCB patterns in a new pigment brand are characterized using GC‐MS in the single ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Specific PCBs are then used as external standards for GC‐ECD quantification. The following PCB isomers or groups of isomers have to be determined (CB = chlorobiphenyl): total diCBs, 3,3′ diCB, 2,4,5‐triCB, 2,2′,4,4′‐tetraCB, 2,2′,5,5′‐tetraCB, total pentaCB, total hexaCB. Capillary gas chromatography is performed on preseparated solutions (LC) of pigment. An electron caputure detector (ECD) is used for PCB detection and quantification. Calibration is based on the peak areas of external standards and the PCB isomers in the samples, all normalized for internal standard peak areas. Total concentrations of diCB, hexaCB, or pentaCB in a sample are calculated by summing the individual PCB isomer concentrations within the correcsponding elution ranges. Determination limits lie in the range of 1 mg/PCB‐isomer/kg pigment.