US EPA

2188144 

Journal Article 

Polychlorinated biphenyl contamination of laboratory air 

Williams, DT; Lebel, GL; Furmanczyk, T 

1980 

Yes 

Chemosphere
ISSN: 0045-6535
EISSN: 1879-1298 

9 

1 

45-50 

English 

10.1016/0045-6535(80)90154-X 

WOS:A1980JG12000005 

During evaluation of a method, for the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in blood, PCB were detected in control blank samples even though all solvents, reagents and glassware had been rigorously purified or cleahed and had been shown to be free of PCB. Investigation of this problem showed that solvents and column chromatography adsorbents were being contaminated during use by PCB present in the laboratory air. Sampling and analytical methods for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in air have been reviewed (l) and the method of Giam et al. (2) using Florisil as the sampling medium has been further evaluated and shown (1)~o glv---~-e quantitative recovery of PCB from air. This present report describes the quantitative measurement of PCB in the air supply to the Environmental Health Directorate building and the identification of the source of the PCB contamination. This problem may occur in other buildings and should be