POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLENE PRODUCTION FOR QUALITATIVE REFERENCE MATERIAL.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and furans (PCDFs) are well known environmental contaminants. A number of laboratories have synthesized many of the PCDD and PCDF congeners for analytical reference material. A review of the environmental chemistry literature as well as publications of commercial firms revealed that another class of potentially toxic chlorinated aromatic compounds were not available. The polychlorinated biphenylenes (PCBPs) are closely related to the PCDDs and PCDFs. A study was made of the synthesis, photolysis, microbial toxicity and systematic assay, mass spectrometry, and chromatographic behavior of the PCBPs.