An approach to the preparation of standard reference material for the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls in marine sediments

Using polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) free inter-tidal marine sediments, a simple methodology for the preparation of a standard reference material has been developed for the analysis of PCBs in marine sediments. Aroclor 1254 has been used as the representative PCB analyte, since it most closely resembles the gas chromatographic characteristics of PCBs found in sediments. 1 A summary of data is presented, which shows very high PCB recoveries for the analyte and also supports the methodology to produce a well homogenized standard reference material.