Analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) using GC-SICRIT-HRMS

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are derivatives from biphenyl. There are 209 PCB components (congeners) which are characterized by different replacements patterns. PCBs were widely deployed as coolant fluids and in electrical equipment, and were commonly used as compound mixtures. Thus, a broad variety of PCBs can be found in PCB products. Since the toxicity and cancerogenity of PCBs has been discovered in the 1970s, their production has declined and was completely banned in 2001 by the Stockholm convention on persistent organic pollutants. Due to the longevity of the compounds, PCBs remain for long periods cycling between air, water and soil. As a consequence, they can be found ubiquitious in all environmental matrices. For this reason, the EU set maximum residue limits for PCB components in food (EU No 1259/2011).

This study shows how the SICRIT expands the range of analytes addressable with LC-MS instruments with the example of PCB analysis via SICRIT GC coupling.