Comparison of the compositions of Aroclor 1242 and Aroclor 1016

Abstract

The complete polychlorinated biphenyl compositions of two American products, Aroclor 1242 and its more modern replacement, Aroclor 1016, have been determined by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) on twelve liquid phases of differing selectivities. Attempts were made to determine the degree of contamination of these Aroclors with chlorinated naphthalenes, using GLC with multiple ion-monitoring mass spectrometry. Chlorinated dibenzofurans, indetectable in Aroclor 1016, were tentatively identified by negative chemical-ionization mass spectrometry and their retention times relative to dieldrin on two GLC liquid phases. Quantitation of the dibenzofurans was initially accomplished using an electron-capture detector, and confirmed by negative chemical-ionization mass spectrometry. Aroclor 1242 contained less than 0.05 mol.% chloronaphthalenes, while Aroclor 1016 contained less than 0.06 mol.% of these compounds. Aroclor 1242 had approximately 150 ppb of chlorinated dibenzofurans, of which 43% was the toxic 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro isomer.