PCB and Environmental Neat Standards - Your essential resource for Agilent ULTRA chemical standards

Importance of the Topic

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated biphenyl ethers, dioxins, and related halogenated compounds remain among the most persistent organic pollutants. Their chemical stability and lipophilicity lead to long-range transport, bioaccumulation in food chains, and human exposure. Reliable quantification of these substances at trace levels is essential for environmental monitoring, food safety, occupational hygiene, and regulatory compliance. Certified reference materials (CRMs) and neat standards underpin accurate, reproducible analyses across chromatography and mass spectrometry platforms, ensuring data comparability among laboratories worldwide.

Aims and Overview

This document presents Agilent’s portfolio of PCB and environmental neat standards, available both as pure compounds (neats) and solution CRMs. It outlines product categories, quality validation levels, packaging strategies for small quantities, and specialized mixtures for targeted analytical methods (e.g., EPA 680, EPA 8082). The catalog aims to serve analysts in environmental, food, life-science, and industrial sectors by providing a one-stop resource for over 7,000 chemical standards.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Agilent produces standards under ISO 9001, ISO 17025, and ISO Guide 34 accreditations. Neat materials are chemically verified (FID or GC/MS) to >97% purity for halogenated congeners. Solution standards are prepared gravimetrically with ±1% tare tolerance, using NIST-traceable balances and Class A glassware. Three QC validation levels (Level I–III) define reporting of true or certified values with expanded uncertainties at 95% confidence. Packaging designs (small-vial dispensing, rinsable materials) facilitate handling of microgram quantities without loss.

Key Results and Discussion

• A comprehensive suite of neat congeners: PCBs (BZ/IUPAC numbering 1–209), PBBs, diphenyl ethers, dioxins, furans, and metabolites.
• Specialized mixtures for method windowing, congener profiling, calibration checks, and internal standards (e.g., EPA 680, 8082 kits).
• Aroclor and Halowax transformer oil kits to simulate environmental contamination matrices.
• Custom product capabilities leverage a 40-year database of stability, homogeneity, and manufacturing records for tailored CRMs.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Ensures traceable calibration for environmental regulation (EPA, European CLP, GHS).
• Streamlines QA/QC workflows in chromatography and spectroscopy laboratories.
• Reduces method development time through pre-validated mixtures and windowing ampules.
• Facilitates interlaboratory comparability and compliance reporting.

Future Trends and Potential Uses

Advances in ultra-trace analysis, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and non-targeted screening will drive demand for isotopically labeled CRMs and expanded analyte coverage (e.g., emerging flame retardants, novel PFAS). Agilent is positioned to develop custom, matrix-matched standards for complex sample types (biota, sediments, blood), and to integrate digital batch data for real-time uncertainty assessment.

Conclusion

Agilent’s PCB and environmental neat standards deliver the quality, traceability, and breadth required for modern analytical laboratories. Their triple-certified production, rigorous QC, and global distribution support accurate quantification of persistent organic pollutants across diverse applications.

Reference

1 Euro Chlor. Euro Chlor Risk Assessment for the Marine Environment OSPARCOM Region – North Sea. 2002.