Development of a Low-Resolution GC/MS Method for PCB Congeners in Support of the Clean Water Act
Poster-Other
Poster Presentation
Prepared by
Contact Information: [email protected]; 202-564-1564
ABSTRACT
The only method currently approved for monitoring polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in wastewater is Method 608, which was promulgated in 1984 and only measures the seven common Aroclor mixtures. Most PCB contamination in the environment is highly weathered and often does not resemble the Aroclor mixtures. In addition, there are non-Aroclor sources of PCB in the environment, and Aroclor results underestimate PCB contamination in a sample compared to the analysis of PCB congeners.
EPA’s Office of Water led a single-laboratory validation of a PCB congener method using low-resolution gas chromatography – mass spectrometry with select ion monitoring (GC-MS-SIM). The method uses 29 carbon-13 labeled PCBs as extracted internal standards to quantify results for all 209 PCB congeners, with some co-eluting.
The goal of this project was to develop a method that can:
1. Identify and quantify PCB contamination at the congener level
2. Improve sensitivity over Method 608, but avoid problems with typical laboratory background contamination
3. Be implemented at a typical mid-sized full-service environmental laboratory
The poster outlines the procedure, summarizes the single-laboratory validation results, and describes the required future steps to generate an approved method for wastewater under 40 CFR Part 136.
Poster-Other
Poster Presentation
Prepared by
Contact Information: [email protected]; 202-564-1564
ABSTRACT
The only method currently approved for monitoring polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in wastewater is Method 608, which was promulgated in 1984 and only measures the seven common Aroclor mixtures. Most PCB contamination in the environment is highly weathered and often does not resemble the Aroclor mixtures. In addition, there are non-Aroclor sources of PCB in the environment, and Aroclor results underestimate PCB contamination in a sample compared to the analysis of PCB congeners.
EPA’s Office of Water led a single-laboratory validation of a PCB congener method using low-resolution gas chromatography – mass spectrometry with select ion monitoring (GC-MS-SIM). The method uses 29 carbon-13 labeled PCBs as extracted internal standards to quantify results for all 209 PCB congeners, with some co-eluting.
The goal of this project was to develop a method that can:
1. Identify and quantify PCB contamination at the congener level
2. Improve sensitivity over Method 608, but avoid problems with typical laboratory background contamination
3. Be implemented at a typical mid-sized full-service environmental laboratory
The poster outlines the procedure, summarizes the single-laboratory validation results, and describes the required future steps to generate an approved method for wastewater under 40 CFR Part 136.
