By-Side Chlorobenzenes and Chlorophenols in Technical Chlorobiphenyl Formulations of Aroclor 1268, Chlorofen, Clophen T 64, Kanechlor 600, and Kanechlor 1000

Abstract

All 19 possible chlorophenol (CPh) and 12 chlorobenzene (CBz) congeners as potential impurities or additive were quantified in a relatively highly chlorinated type of technical chlorobiphenyl (CB) mixtures of Aroclor 1268, Chlorofen, Clophen T 64, Kanechlor 600, and Kanechlor 1000 using isotope dilution technique and HRGC/HRMS. The total CBzs content of Aroclor 1268, Chlorofen and Clophen T 64, Kanechlor 600, and Kanechlor 1000 was 0.039, 0.5, 230, 0.068, and 400 mg/g, respectively, while of CPhs was < 0.007, 0.48, 10, 0.093, and 0.98 microg/g. All 12 congeners of chlorobenzene could be quantified in all the formulations examined, but their proportions varied largely. It seems that stockpiles of technical chlorobiphenyl formulations and hazardous wastes containing CBs, both with added and/or by-side CBzs are also a somehow forgotten source of environmental contamination with those environmentally relevant compounds. No CPhs were found in Aroclor 1268 (< 7 ng/g). 2-MoCPh, 2,6-DiCPh, 3,5-DiCPh, 3,4,5-TrCPh, and 2,3,4,5,6-PeCPh were absent (< 1- < 20 ng/g) in Chlorofen and Clophen T 64, while other chlorophenol congeners were found at concentration from 7.4 to 130 and from 9.9 to 8,800 ng/g, respectively. Then, 3- and 4-chlorophenol, which co-eluted, were main contributors (88%) to the total CPhs content of Clophen T 64, while 2,3,4,6-TeCPh with 27% abundance was a major congener among CPhs in Chlorofen. Then, 2,4,6-TrCPh was the most abundant congener in Kanechlor 600, while 2,4,5-TrCPh was the most abundant congener in Kanechlor 1000.