PCB's - Friesen/Vandenbrink

• Physical Properties - congeners, odourless, tasteless, viscous, and clear to pail-yellow


• Chemical Properties - high dielectric constant, high solubility in hydrocarbons and virtual insolubility in water Discription: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are the chlorinated derivatives of a class of aromatic organic compounds called biphenyls and are manufactured by the direct chlorination of the biphenyl ring system (Sittig, et al., 1980). PCBs are also referred to by the trade names Aroclor, Phenoclor and Kanechlor.


• Found in: Insecticide production, to being used as an insulator in transformer production.


• Dangers: Potentionally harm an infant if mother has high concentration of PCBs. They can cause irritation of the nose and throat, acne and rashes, cause cancer in animal studies. (U.S. Department of, 1997)


• Precautions: Stay away from products containing a high concentration of PCBs. (U.S. Department of, 1997)


• Treatment: Cannot know if your going to have harmfull effects, but blood tests will show if you have a higher concentration of this chemical. (U.S. Department of, 1997)


• Their empirical formula is the following: C12H10-xClx.


• Opinion: We do not think this chemical should be used because of the harm it causes to humans, animals, and the environment. Some examples are: Cancer, irritation and rashes etc... article of dangers about this poison: http://www.ehso.com/pcbH&S.htm

Reference List

Boate, Amy. (n.d.). Chemistry of pcbs. Retrieved from http://wvlc.uwaterloo.ca/biology447/modules/intro/assignments/Introduction2a.htm

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services , Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (1997). Pcb health & safety information (CAS# 1336-36-3). Atlanta, GA: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry . Retrieved from http://www.ehso.com/pcbH&S.htm