Some factors in the separation of polychlorobiphenyls (PCB's) from organochlorine pesticides by column chromatography combined with gas‐liquid chromatography

Abstract

Retention volumes for polychlorobiphenyls (PCB's) and organochlorine pesticides have been measured on “Florisi”b and silicic acid in various activity states using petroleum spirit eluant. The majority of organochlorine pesticides can be separated from PCB's by column chromatography. The exceptions areheptachlor, aldrin and BHC (apart from the gamma‐isomer), and the separation of DDE from PCB's was only achieved with highly active silicic acid. With PCB residues normally found, the separations not secured by column chromatography were obtained by gas chromatography.

Chemistry of PCBs and PBBs

“…The technique is fairly lengthy and difficult to reproduce, requiring empirical standardization in each laboratory (55,69,70). The separation of DDE is probably not 100% effective, but under ideal conditions practically all DDE can be separated; the usual inconsistency is for a portion of the DDE to be eluted from the column with the PCBs, requiring allowances to be made in PCB quantitation.…”