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Inadvertent PCBs in Consumer Products
Citation:
Mullin, M. AND X. Liu. Inadvertent PCBs in Consumer Products. Presentation invited by the Collaborative on Health and the Environment – Washington Partnership, NA, Virtual, October 14, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic compounds. Although commercial PCB production was banned in 1979 under the Toxics Substance Control Act (TSCA), inadvertent generation of PCBs continues during a variety of chemical production processes and contaminate products as well as waste streams. The most studied process leading to inadvertent PCB (iPCB) contamination is the production of diarylide yellow pigment and the resulting creation of PCB-11. This research is to conduct source characterization, emission, and fate and transport experiments and modeling for inadvertently generated PCBs in consumer products. The research will generate the first data set available for migration pathways of iPCBs from consumer products into the environment and potential routes of human exposure for a human health risk assessment.
Description:
This presentation summarizes research results to study inadvertent polychlorinated biphenyls (iPCBs) in consumer products and their fate and transport in the indoor environment. A total of 39 consumer products purchased from local and online retailer stores were extracted using methylene chloride-sonication method and analyzed for 209 PCB congeners on a GC/MS. Emission of PCB-11 to air was studied from one product using dynamic micro chambers at 40C. PCB-11 migration from the product to house dust was also investigated. 8 out of 39 products were detected iPCBs up to ~660 ppb. PCB-11 was the most frequently detected congener across the products. The test of iPCB emission from the source to the air was continued for about 120 days. Dust adsorbed iPCBs at a much faster rate through direct contact with a source than its emission to the air from the source. Future research needs, outreach activities, and best management practices to reduce exposure were also discussed.