Abstract
Decalin solution containing 1000ppm PCBs was treated with the sodium dispersion (SD) process under conditions at less than 100°C. PCBs in the reaction mixtures were not detected (below 20ppb) by GC analysis.
The SD process gave rate of 100% dechlorination. The decomposition products identified by GC-MS were biphenyl, phenylcyclohexadiene, and phenylcyclohexene. The latter two would be the reduction products of biphenyl formed as a result of hydrogen abstraction of decalin by biphenyl sodium which were formed during the reaction of PCBs with sodium. GPC analysis showed that oligomers of biphenyl generated in the SD process were negligibly small. About 100% of PCBs decomposed by the SD process were recovered as biphenyl, phenylcyclohexadiene, and phenylcyclohexene.
