Chemical Properties
Viscous, oily, colorless to light yellow, nonflammable, liquid with a faint, aromatic-type odor
Uses
In polyvinyl acetate to improve fiber-tear properties; as an insulator fluid for electric
condensers and as an additive in very high pressure lubricants. In fluorescent and high-intensity
discharge ballasts manufactured prior to 1979 (U.S. EPA, 1998).
May have been added to automotive transmission oils to swell shrunken transmission seals in
place (Monsanto, 1960).
At a concentration of 5 to 25 wt %, increased the effective kill-life of the lindane spray up to 10
times. May have been used in chlordane and BHC insecticide formulations. In polyvinyl acetate
emsulsions to impart strong bonding power in adhesives (Monsanto, 1960).
Environmental Fate
Biological. Reported degradation products by the microorganism Alcaligenes BM-2 for a
mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls include monohydroxychlorobiphenyl, 2-hydroxy-6-oxochlorophenylhexa-
2,4-dieonic acid, chlorobenzoic acid, chlorobenzoylpropionic acid, chlorophenylacetic
acid, and 3-chlorophenyl-2-chloropropenic acid (Yagi and Sudo, 1980).
When PCB-1232 was statically incubated in the dark at 25 °C with yeast extract and settled
domestic wastewater inoculum for 7 d, significant biodegradation with rapid adaptation was
observed (Tabak et al., 1981).
Photolytic. PCB-1232 in a 90% acetonitrile/water solution containing 0.2 to 0.3 M sodium
borohydride and irradiated with UV light (λ = 254 nm) reacted to yield dechlorinated biphenyls.
Without sodium borohydride, the reaction proceeded more slowly (Epling et al., 1988).
Chemical/Physical. Zhang and Rusling (1993) evaluated the bicontinuous microemulsion of
surfactant/oil/water as a medium for the dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls by electrochemical
catalytic reduction. The microemulsion (20 mL) contained didodecyldimethylammonium
bromide, dodecane, and water at concentrations of 21, 57, and 22 wt %, respectively.
The catalyst used was zinc phthalocyanine (3.5 nM). When PCB-1232 (69 mg), the
microemulsion and catalyst were subjected to an electrical current of mA/cm
2 on 11.2 cm
2 lead
electrode for 12 h, a dechlorination yield of >99.8% was achieved. Reaction products included
minor amounts of mono- and dichlorobiphenyls (0.01 mg), biphenyl, and reduced alkylbenzene
derivatives.
PCB-1232 will not hydrolyze to any reasonable extent (Kollig, 1993).
At influent concentrations of 1.0, 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001 mg/L, the GAC adsorption capacities were
630, 120, 22, and 4.0 mg/g, respectively (Dobbs and Cohen, 1980).
