The degradation pathways of higher polychlorinated biphenyl congeners irradiated at 300 nm were investigated. Ortho dechlorination is an important degradation pathway for congeners bearing one or two such substituents. Steric factors also influence dechlorination at various positions of the more substituted or more reactive ring. Precursors of the toxic congeners 77 and 126, formed upon sunlight irradiation of Aroclor 1254, were identified.