CRITICAL-EVALUATION OF PCB REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a family of aromatic compounds consisting of a biphenyl molecule which has been chlorinated to form a large number of possible congeners. The number of chlorine atoms they can contain (from 1 to 10) varies, as does the placement of the chlorine atoms on the biphenyl molecule. Thus, a polychlorinated biphenyl is one of 209 compounds having the formula: C12H10-nCln. Due to their excellent heat stability, fire retardance and electrical insulating properties, they gained widespread use as dielectric fluid incorporated in electrical transformers and capacitors. They were also incorporated in products as various as plastics, hydraulic fluids, surface coatings, inks, paints, pesticides, lubricants, and carbonless copy paper.