Occurrence of Polychlorinated Terphenyls (PCTs) in Indoor Particulate Matter

In the course of a routine investigation concerned with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination of dust collected in classrooms of a junior high school, a group of electron capture detector (ECD)-sensitive compounds with high boiling points were found in addition to PCBs. Using gas chromatograp...

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Published inEnvironmental health perspectives Vol. 104; no. 11; pp. 1172 - 1179
Main Authors Seidel, Ulrich, Schweizer, Ernst, Schweinsberg, Fritz, Wodarz, Roman, Rettenmeier, Albert Wolfgang
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. National Institutes of Health. Department of Health, Education and Welfare 01.11.1996
Subjects
Adipose tissues
Air Pollutants - analysis
Air Pollution, Indoor - analysis
Air sampling
Chlorine
Congeners
Dust - analysis
Environmental health
Germany
Liver
Particulate matter
Phenyls
Polychlorinated biphenyls
Polychloroterphenyl Compounds - analysis
Reviews
Schools
Triphenyls
Germany
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Summary:In the course of a routine investigation concerned with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination of dust collected in classrooms of a junior high school, a group of electron capture detector (ECD)-sensitive compounds with high boiling points were found in addition to PCBs. Using gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric techniques, these compounds were identified as polychlorinated terphenyls (PCTs). Additional measurements indicated that the PCTs were present only in particulate matter collected from the tops of fluorescent light frames but not in air samples obtained concomitantly in the classrooms. Attempts to identify the PCT emission source were unsuccessful. A survey of the literature revealed that PCTs are ubiquitously distributed environmental contaminants, although no data on their indoor occurrence have been reported to date. In view of the toxic effects of PCTs, which seem to be as important as those of PCBs, further attention should be given to the possible presence of PCTs in indoor environments.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
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ISSN:0091-6765
1552-9924
DOI:10.1289/ehp.961041172