Polychlorinated Naphthalenes

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) are complex mixtures of the reaction products of chlorine with naphthalene. PCNS were previously used in electrical devices, and as additives to wood, paper and textiles to provide resistance against water, flame, insects, mold and fungi. PCNs have not been in commercial use since the 1980s, but may be produced indirectly as a by-product of various industrial processes involving chlorine, especially in the presence of heat. Today PCNs are persistent, widespread, and bioaccumulative in the environment, and are regarded as an environmental problem.

SGS AXYS offers analysis for the determination of up to 50 congeners of polychlorinated naphthalenes using GC-HRMS in aqueous (water/effluent), solid (soil/sediment/biosolids), tissue, and high volume and passive sampling (XAD-2, resin, SPMD, PED) matrices.

Chlorinated Paraffins

Chlorinated paraffins or chlorinated alkanes are complex mixtures of chlorinated hydrocarbons with carbon chain lengths ranging from 10 to 38 carbon atoms, and are usually divided into short chain (C10-C13), medium chain (C13-C17) and long chain (> C17) classes. Chlorinated paraffin formulations are used in a wide range of industrial applications including the manufacturing of rubber, metalworking fluids, plasticizers, and flame retardants; and are considered to be relatively persistent with high potential for bioaccumulation, and toxic to aquatic organisms.

SGS AXYS offers custom/speciality analysis by request for the measurement of a suite of chlorinated paraffins in aqueous, solid, bio-solid, and tissue samples with carbon content ranging from C10 to C20 using GC-MS.

Application Spotlight

Declining concentrations of persistent PCBs, PBDEs, PCDEs, and PCNs in harbor seals from the Salish Sea

This good news story highlights the effects of phaseout of the production/use of persistent organic pollutants. We helped scientists from the Institute of Ocean Sciences (Sidney, BC) measure a broad suite of POPs including polychloronaphthalenes in harbour seal blubber. Ross et al. 2013 results showed that concentrations in the harbor seal declined over time as these compounds were being phased out, reflecting declining exposures from their diet.