Complete characterization of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in commercial Aroclor and Clophen mixtures by multidimensional gas chromatography-electron capture detection

All PCB congeners present in two series of commercial Aroclor and Cophens formulations were identified and quantified on the basis of the relative retention times of all 209 possible chlorobiphenyls on an SE-54 column. Complete separation of congeners having identical retention times was obtained with a multidimensional gas chromatographic technique. A total of 132 congeners was found in the series of mixtures at concentrations above 0.05%, with each congener being present in at least one commercial mixture. The data form the foundations for unambiguous analyses of chlorinated biphenyls in environmental samples.