Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

Overview Policy and Guidance Chemistry and Behavior Environmental Occurrence Toxicology Detection and Site Characterization Treatment Technologies Conferences and Seminars Additional Resources

Environmental Occurrence

PCBs were produced commercially in the U.S. between 1929 and 1977. Approximately 99% of the PCBs used by U.S. industry were produced and marketed under the trade name of Aroclor. The Aroclors were labeled and sold according to the percent chlorination they contained—e.g., Aroclor 1221 was 21 percent chlorinated and Aroclor 1260 was 60 percent chlorinated. Prior to 1974, PCBs were used for capacitors, transformers, heat transfer, and hydraulic fluids such as those for gas transmission turbines (nominally closed applications), and in flame retardants, inks, adhesives, microencapsulation of dyes for carbonless duplicating paper, paints, pesticide extenders, plasticizers, polyolefin catalyst carriers, slide-mounting mediums for microscopes, surface coatings, wire insulators, and metal coatings (open-end applications). Production of PCBs in the U.S. from 1930 to 1985 is estimated at a cumulative 1,400,000,000 pounds.

PCBs have been identified in at least 500 of 1,598 hazardous waste sites proposed for inclusion on the EPA National Priorities list. These sites often contain highly concentrated levels of PCBs in spill release areas, as well as widespread contamination through transport along waterways, such as the Hudson River. Before being banned and before the Clean Water Act regulated wastewater discharges, PCBs could be found, often at high levels, in wastewaters from industries handling PCB equipment, from transformer and capacitor production, and from manufacture of carbonless copy papers, and pulp and paper mill effluents. These wastewaters either were discharged directly to surface waters or sent to municipal sewage treatment plants; consequently, the sediments of the receiving waters and downstream sinks (such as harbors) where these waters discharged are likely to be contaminated with PCBs. Urban industrial areas are more likely to have higher PCB contamination than rural areas. While not highly volatile, PCBs, especially the less chlorinated ones, will partition into the air. Atmospheric transport is the most important mechanism for the global dispersion of PCBs. Biphenyls with 0 to 1 chlorine atoms remain in the atmosphere; those with 1 to 4 chlorines gradually migrate toward polar latitudes in a series of volatilization/deposition cycles; those with 4 to 8 chlorines remain in mid-latitudes; and those with 8 to 9 chlorines remain close to the source of contamination. Polar ice where there has never been any industrial activity can contain trace levels of PCBs.

Information regarding levels of PCBs in specific geographic locations or water bodies may be available in a monitoring or characterization report. The Library of the U.S. Geological Survey provides links to several databases in which such reports can be located. http://library.usgs.gov/

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General

Chapter 4: Assessment of Transboundary Transport of Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Assessment of POP Transport and Accumulation in the Environment.
Victor Shatalov et al., Meteorological Synthesizing Centre-East.
EMEP Report 4/200, p 67-88, 2001.

The Ortho Side of PCBs: Occurrence and Disposition
L.G. Hansen.
Kluwer Academic, ISBN: 0792385411, 269 pp, 1999.

The 2001 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Public Data Release Report
U.S. EPA, Toxic Release Inventory Program.
EPA 260-R-03-001, p 3-75 to 3-84, 2003.

Pilot Survey of Levels of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins, Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Mercury in Rural Soils of the United States
U.S. EPA, National Center for Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC. EPA 600-R-05-043F, 308 pp, 2007

Soil samples discussed in this report were collected in 2003 at 27 monitoring stations located in remote areas across the continental United States and Alaska, providing the basis for a study of air/soil relationships by comparison of historical air concentration data with the new soil data. The limited sampling results should not be interpreted as statistically representative of all rural soils in the United States; however, these results might provide a plausible basis for a preliminary characterization of soils in rural/remote areas.

Potential for Human Exposure
Toxicological Profile for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Chapter 6, 2000.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

A Review of Contaminant Occurrence in Public Water Systems
U.S. EPA, Office of Water.
EPA 816-R-99-006, 94 pp, 1999.

Fish

2001 Annual Fish and Shellfish Report
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, Environmental Quality Department.
ENQUAD 2002-14, 175 pp, 2002.

Fact Sheet: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Update: Impact on Fish Advisories
U.S. EPA, Office of Water.
EPA-823-F-99-019, 7 pp, 1999.

Trends in Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Fish Tissue from Selected Sites in the Delaware River Basin in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, 1969-98
K. Riva-Murray, U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4066, 20 pp, 2001.
Contact: Karen Murray, krmurray@usgs.gov

Water-Quality Assessment of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, Minnesota and Wisconsin—Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Common Carp and Walleye Fillets, 1975-95
K. Lee and J. Anderson, U.S. Geological Survey.
Water-Resources Investigations Report 98-4126, 1998.
Contact: Kathy Lee, klee@usgs.gov

Sediments

Areal Distribution and Concentrations of Contaminants of Concern in Surficial Streambed and Lakebed Sediments, Lake Erie-Lake Saint Clair Drainages, 1990-97
S. Rheaume, et al., U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 00-4200, 70 pp, 2000.
Contact: Stephen Rheaume, srheaume@usgs.gov

Defining the Sources of Airborne Polychlorinated Biphenyls: Evidence for the Influence of Microbially Dechlorinated Congeners from River Sediment
J. Chiarenzelli, et al.
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Vol 57, Suppl S1, p 86-94, 2000

Evaluation of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Contamination in the Saginaw River Using Sediments, Caged Fish and SPMDs
K. Echols, et al., U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018, 6 pp, 1999.
Contact: Kathy Echols, kathy_echols@usgs.gov

Sediment Characteristics and Configuration within Three Dam Impoundments on the Kalamazoo River, Michigan, 2000
S. Rheaume, et al., U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4098, 58 pp, 2002.
Contact: Stephen Rheaume, srheaume@usgs.gov

The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamination in Surface Waters of the United States, Volume 1: National Sediment Quality Survey
U.S. EPA, Office of Science and Technology.
EPA 823-R-97-006, 1997.

The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamination in Surface Waters of the United States, Volume 2: Data Summaries for Areas of Probable Concern
U.S. EPA, Office of Science and Technology.
EPA 823-R-97-007, 1997.

The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamination in Surface Waters of the United States, Volume 3: National Sediment Point Source Inventory
U.S. EPA, Office of Science and Technology.
EPA 823-R-97-008, 1997.

Surface Water

Contaminants in the Mississippi River
R. Meade (ed.), U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Circular 1133, 1995.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls in San Francisco Bay: Sources and Loadings Report
F. Hetzel.
California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region, 30 pp, 2001.
Contact: Frederic Hetzel, fh@rb2.swrcb.ca.gov

Source Identification and Fish Exposure for Polychlorinated Biphenyls Using Congener Analysis from Passive Water Samplers in the Millers River Basin, Massachusetts
John A. Colman, U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 00-4250, 47 pp, 2000.
Contact: John Colman, jacolman@usgs.gov

Water Quality in the Lake Erie-Lake Saint Clair Drainages Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, New York and Pennsylvania, 1996-98
D. Myers, et al., U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Water Resources Circular 1203, 43 pp, 2000.
Contact: Donna Myers, dnmyers@usgs.gov

Water Quality in the Upper Tennessee River Basin, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia 1994-98
P. Hampson, et al., U.S. Geological Survey.
Water Resources Circular 1205, 40 pp, 2000.
Contact: Paul Hampson, phampson@usgs.gov

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Last updated on Thursday, February 7, 2008