SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1975
STP39011S

Some Factors Affecting the Recovery of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB's) from Water and Bottom Samples

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During studies on analytical methods for PCB's in water and bottom samples, variable recoveries from dosed samples and apparent decreasing recoveries with the age of the sample were observed. Losses from dosed river waters as high as 10 percent in one day and greater than 40 percent in one week were common. Recoveries from bottom samples varied widely with the sample pretreatment and the method of extraction. In an effort to define some of the factors affecting the recovery of PCB's from water, the following parameters and conditions were studied: sample container, extremes of pH, aging under ambient conditions, and several preservation techniques. Several methods of sample preparation and extraction of bottom samples were studied. Environmentally contaminated water and lake bottom samples and dosed natural samples were studied.

The separatory funnel liquid-liquid extraction method was found to be the most efficient for the extraction of PCB's from natural waters. The air-dried, moisture-added soxhlet extraction procedure proved to be the most efficient for recovery of PBC's from environmentally contaminated lake bottom samples. Formaldehyde was found to be effective for preserving PCB's in dosed natural waters for at least two weeks.

Author Information

Bellar, TA
Methods Development and Quality Assurance Research Laboratory, National Environmental Research Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
Lichtenberg, JJ
Methods Development and Quality Assurance Research Laboratory, National Environmental Research Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Details
Developed by Committee: D19
Pages: 206–219
DOI: 10.1520/STP39011S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5584-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-5526-8