The number and position of chlorine attachment to the biphenyl ring structure varies and resulting to 209 different pcbs formations called. Please note that the layout and pagination of this pdf file are not necessarily identical to the. Polychlorinated biphenyls in chinese surface soils. Polychlorinated biphenyls, in short pcbs, are a group of manmade chemicals 1. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or pcbs, are stable, flameresistant chemicals that were manufactured for use in consumer products lubricants, paints, pesticides, etc. A polychlorinated biphenyl pcb is an organic chlorine compound with the formula c 12 h 10. A pdf is a digital representation of the print book, so while it can be loaded into most ereader programs, it doesnt allow for resizable text or advanced, interactive functionality. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are toxic and persist in the environment. Many transformers in use still contain traces of pcbcontaminated oil, even after the oil has been changed several times. The second two numbers indicate the percentage of chlorine by mass in the mixture. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are a family of industrial chemicals that were.
Their general structure is shown in the picture to the right. Halflife of each dioxin and pcb congener in the human body. Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in marine fish. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs environmental affairs department. Polychlorinated biphenyl chemical compound britannica. In particular, to determine the degree of pcb contamination in the fish, we investigated the concentration of total pcb. Polychlorinated biphenyls the national academies press.
Other pertinent literature is also presented, but is described in less detail than the key studies. Polychlorinated biphenyl pcb question and answer manual. Pcbs polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs environmental affairs. Before their manufacture was banned in 1979, pcbs were used widely in electrical equipment, including transformers and fluorescent light ballasts. Epa home wastes polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs basic information polychlorinated biphenyl pcb pcbs belong to a broad family of manmade organic chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. Polychlorinated biphenyl pcb concentrations in surface soil samples 0. Pcbs polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of chemicals consisting of 209 individual compounds known as congeners. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are manufactured organic chemicals that are no longer produced in the united states, but are still in the environment and can cause health problems. The atsdr interaction profile succintly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for mixtures of hazardous substances. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled gnu free documentation license.
Differences of less than 1 order of magnitude were found. Sep 26, 2019 all atsdr toxicological profile pdf files are electronic conversions from paper copy or other electronic ascii text files. Appendix ii analytical method for polychlorinated biphenyls 77225f. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbsarochlors 36363 hazard summary polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are a group of chemicals that contain 209 individual compounds known as congeners with varying harmful effects. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or pcbs, are a group of 209 manmade compounds that generally occur as complex mixtures. They can also be unintentionally formed during the production of.
Even though pcbs were banned from production in 1979, they. Like other persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals, pcbs move easily between air, water, and land. Pcbs do not easily break down and may remain in the air, water and soil for long periods of time. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs consist of a group of over 200 manmade synthetic, chlorinated and organic chemicals with the same basic chemical structure. Before their manufacture was banned in 1979, pcbs were used widely in electrical equipment, including transformers. Epas cancer reassessment reflected the agencys commitment to the use of.
Information on specific congener toxicity is very limited. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs fact sheet pcbs were once used in a wide variety of industrial applications, including as insulating fluid in electrical equipment and as plasticizers. Polychlorinated biphenyls were once widely deployed as dielectric and coolant fluids in electrical apparatus, carbonless copy paper and in heat transfer fluids. For example, the name aroclor 1254 means that the mixture contains approximately 54 percent chlorine by weight. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs a reference guide for new bedford harbor residents. Before their manufacture was banned in 1979, pcbs were used widely in electrical equipment, including. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs consist of a group of over 200 manmade synthetic. Republic of south africa environmental affairs pcblaced soil. Pcbs with an average content of 42 to 54 % chlorine play the largest role in production and use. In an effort to keep these methods consistent with current technology, method to4 has been revised and up dated as method to4a in this compendium to incorporate new or improved sampling and analytica l technologies. Table of aroclors polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs us epa. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are chemicals usually manmade formed as result of attachment of one or more chlorine atoms to a biphenyl ring structure. Polychlorinated biphenyls polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are synthetic organic chemicals that bio accumulate and biomagnify in the food web and are known to cause harmful effects to humans and wildlife.
Pcbs were used widely in electrical equipment like. The mixture is relatively insoluble in water, is stable at high temperatures, and is a good dielectric electrical insulator. Polychlorinated biphenyl definition of polychlorinated. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs were widely used in industrial and commercial products, such as dielectric fluids, plasticizers, cutting oils, heat transfer fluids and hydraulic lubricants, due to their remarkable physicochemical properties 1,2. Substance name polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs casrn 36363. Carcinogenicity of dioxinlike polychlorinated biphenyls. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs question and answer manual pdf 4 pp, 488 k, june 2014 2004 supplemental response to comments document on the proposed rule disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls pdf 12 pp, 43 k, jan 2004 1998 response to comments document pdf 234 pp, 492 k, may 1998 1994 question and answer document pdf 221. Pcbs may be released into the environment, for instance when waste that contains pcbs is incinerated or stored in landfills.
This conversion may have resulted in character translation or format errors. Humans are also exposed to pcbs at workplaces during repair and. Pcbs polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of chemicals consisting of 209. Compendium of methods for the determination of toxic organic. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs 317 2346932 800 4516027.
Polychlorinated biphenyl pcb question and answer manual and. Many transformers in use still contain traces of pcbcontaminated oil, even after the oil. The application of pesticides can cause adverse health e ffects to humans by contaminating soil, water, air, plants. The epa treats all pcbs as potentially hazardous to human health regardless of the.
Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs have been used commercially since 1929 as dielectric and heat exchange fluids and in a variety of other applications. Please check the following individual aroclor files for rfd assessments. The assistance of a large number of organisations and individuals played a crucial role in its success and widespread acceptance. Technological polychlorinated biphenyls consist of a mixture of homologous andor isomeric chlorinated biphenyls. Polychlorinated biphenyls, or pcbs, are synthetically manufactured chemicals belonging to a family of organic compounds known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. Commercial products called aroclors were produced from the congeners and were. They are oily liquids or solids, clear to yellow in color, with no smell or taste. Polychlorinated biphenyls world health organization. Polychlorinated biphenyls, also known as pcbs, are a group of synthetic chemicals that are similar in structure with different degrees of chlorination.
A welldocumented case of pcb intoxication within the human. We determined the polychlorinated biphenyl pcb congeners in 101 marine fish obtained from tsunamistricken areas following the great east japan earthquake in 2011. The ebook is optimized for ereader devices and apps, which means that it offers a much better digital reading experience than a pdf, including resizable text and. Method to4a pesticidespcbs page 4a2 compendium of methods for toxic organic air pollutants january 1999 3. Compendium of methods for the determination of toxic organic compounds in ambient air, epa 600489018. Cdc niosh publications and products criteria for a. Short term effects pcbs are chemicals that were often used in manufacturing because of their chemical stability low solubility, vapr pressure, electrical conductivity, and flammability and high heat capacity. During the use and disposal processes, a large amount of pcbs was introduced into the environment. Cesium, cobalt, polychlorinated biphenyls, strontium, and trichloroethylene. A typical mixture of pcbs may contain over 100 compounds and is a colourless, viscous liquid. Pcbs have many physical properties that make them good. To request ada accommodation including materials in a format for the visually impaired, call. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are a group of manmade chemicals.
Pcbs are very stable mixtures that are resistant to extreme temperature and pressure. Introduction polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are very toxic chemicals and persistent in the environment. Additionally, on this page are responses to comment documents developed for several pcb rulemakings that cover a wide range of pcb topics. Pcbs are absorbed by mammals through the gastrointestinal tract, lungs and skin. Pcbs were domestically manufactured from 1929 until their manufacture was banned in 1979. Reference dose for oral exposure rfd pdf 22 pp, 150 k last updated. Photochemical formation of hydroxylated polychlorinated. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs casrn 36363 iris us. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs arochlors environmental protection agency resource on polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs arochlors that includes information on their physical properties, uses, sources and potential exposure, and associated health hazards. In an effort to keep these methods consistent with current technology, method t o10 has been revised and updated as method to10a in this compendium to incorporate new o r improved sampling and analytical technologies.
Pcbs were banned in the late 1970s but are still in some old equipment and products. Theoretically 209 congeners compounds are possible with various degrees of chlorination between 21 % and 68 %. Polychlorinated biphenyls in consumer products access wa. They come in 209 different chemical forms, or congeners, which vary in their degree of toxicity and carcinogenicity. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are a class of highly toxic, humanmade chemicals containing carbon, hydrogen and chlorine. Polychlorinated biphenyls were once widely deployed as dielectric and coolant fluids in electrical apparatus, carbonless copy paper and in heat transfer fluids because of their longevity, pcbs are still widely in use, even though their manufacture has declined drastically since the 1960s. Pcbs are very persistent, lasting for decades in the environment. The table of contents and list of individual pdf files are given below. May 31, 2017 polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs arochlors environmental protection agency resource on polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs arochlors that includes information on their physical properties, uses, sources and potential exposure, and associated health hazards. Cesium, cobalt, polychlorinated biphenyls, strontium, and. The first two digits usually refer to the number of carbon atoms in the phenyl rings for polychlorinated biphenyls this is 12. Industrial caulk and bituminous bit felt in structures built prior. Appendix i sampling procedure for collection of polychlorinated biphenyls x. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs what are pcbs and where do they come from.
Users are referred to the original paper copy of the toxicological profile for the official text, figures, and tables. Using old fluorescent lighting fixtures and electrical devices and appliances that are over 30 years old also increases exposure to pcbs. Polychlorinated biphenyl pcb, any of a class of organohalogen compounds prepared by the reaction of chlorine with biphenyl. Pcbs were not manufactured in canada, but were used in a wide range of industrial activities. The average concentration of total pcbs among all the sites was 515 pgg dry weight dw, approximately onetenth of that in global background soil in 1998. See the assessments under related links for information on the effects of oral exposure to specific pcb mixtures, including rfds for aroclor 1016 and aroclor 1254.
Compendium of methods for the determination of toxic. Permission is granted to copy, distribute andor modify this document under the terms of the gnu free documentation license, version 1. Tsca actually covers numerous chemicals in addition to pcbs as it was intended to protect the. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs are a family of industrial chemicals that were produced in the united states from 1929 to 1979 and used primarily as insulating fluids in capacitors, transformers, and other electrical equipment. Polychlorinated biphenyls management plan revised edition. However, the distribution of pcbs in the environment was not recognized until 1966, when jensen identified pcbs in human and wildlife samples 3. Pdf millions of pounds of polychlorinated biphenyl pcb compounds have been. The polychlorinated biphenyl pcb waste management plan was prepared between april 1994 and november 1995 as part of the national strategy for the management of scheduled wastes. Fact jsheet une, 20 indiana department of environmental management polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs 317 2346932 800 4516027. Polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs following are examples of materials that may contain pcbs. Pcb and the proportions of 209 individual pcb congeners by highresolution gas chromatographyhigh. The atsdr toxicological profile succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for the hazardous substance described here. What are the effects of pcb exposure on wildlife and human.
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