Journal Article

Applications of polychlorinated biphenyls

Erickson, Mitchell D, Kaley, Robert G. II

2011

Overview

Background, aim, and scope In the 50 years or so that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were manufactured in the USA and elsewhere, they were widely used in numerous applications because of their desirable properties. The purpose of this paper is to review and summarize in one place the factual information about the uses of PCBs, as well as to correct some misconceptions that have arisen over the years. The focus is on applications in the USA for which there is ample documentation. However, use patterns were probably similar worldwide. Materials and methods Review. Results PCBs were used primarily as electrical insulating fluids in capacitors and transformers and also as hydraulic, heat transfer, and lubricating fluids. PCBs were blended with other chemicals as plasticizers and fire retardants and used in a range of products including caulks, adhesives, plastics, and carbonless copy paper. In the USA, PCBs were manufactured from 1929 through mid-1977, although many products remained in service for decades after the manufacture of PCBs was terminated. This article reviews the historic uses of PCBs in the USA and discusses, where possible, the relative sales volumes. Especially with smaller volume, military, and third-party uses, documenting a use and/or differentiating between a commercial use and an experimental test batch is not possible. Discussion A major contribution of this paper is to differentiate reported commercial applications of PCBs that can be documented from those which cannot. Undocumented uses may include actual minor uses as well as reported applications that are unlikely ever to have been commercialized.

• Publisher: Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag,Springer-Verlag,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: adhesives / Applications / Aquatic Pollution / Aroclor / Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution / Capacitor / Chemical Phenomena / Chemicals / Commercialization / Earth and Environmental Science / Ecotoxicology / Electrical equipment / Electrical Equipment and Supplies / Environment / Environmental Chemistry / Environmental Health / Environmental Pollutants - chemistry / Environmental Pollutants - history / Flame retardants / Fluid dynamics / Fluid flow / Fluids / Heat transfer / Historic / History, 19th Century / History, 20th Century / Hydrocarbons / Lubricants - chemistry / Lubricants - history / Lubrication / Manufacturers / Manufacturing / PCB / Plasticizers / Plasticizers - chemistry / Plasticizers - history / plastics / Polychlorinated biphenyls / Polychlorinated Biphenyls - chemistry / Polychlorinated Biphenyls - history / Product lines / Reproduction / Review Article / sales / Studies / Transformer / United States / Waste Water Technology / Water Management / Water Pollution Control