Logo image
Back
PCB Emissions from Paint Colorants
Journal article   Peer reviewed

PCB Emissions from Paint Colorants

Jacob C. Jahnke and Keri C Hornbuckle
Environmental Science & Technology, Vol.53(9), pp.5187-5194
04/18/2019
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01087
PMID: 30997998
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/6519452View
Open Access

Related content

Is publication of

Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are known human carcinogens that are byproducts of pigment manufacturing and found in colorants used to tint consumer paints sold in the United States and elsewhere. PCBs have the potential to be emitted from paint containing these pigments. To quantify the gas-phase emissions of Sigma PCBs, we used polyurethane foam (PUF) to capture emissions from freshly applied colorants. Some PCB emissions were detected on the PUF after 1 day. After 6 weeks, all PCBs found in the colorant were also found on the PUF. Even the fully chlorinated PCB209 was emitted from green colorant. Mono- and dichlorinated PCBs were released from the colorant at a faster rate than the higher chlorinated congeners. By the end of the experiment, all the lower chlorinated congeners were absent from the colorant while more than 75% of the higher chlorinated congeners remained in the sample. The rate of PCB emissions from paint colorants is a function of the surface/air equilibrium coefficient, and the presence of water accelerates the emissions. Although concentrations of PCBs in colorants are less than 285 ng g(-1), PCB emissions from colorants in paint can cause environmentally relevant concentrations of >= 500 pg m(-3) within hours of painting a room.
 AROCLOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES INVENTORY ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL URBAN CHICAGO AIR HEALTH CONGENERS EXPOSURE POLYCHLORINATED-BIPHENYLS 3,3'-DICHLOROBIPHENYL Chlorination Byproducts Cobalt oxides PCB Emissions PCB compounds Carcinogens Polyurethane Pigments Polychlorinated biphenyls Polychlorinated biphenyls--PCB Paints Polyurethane foam ISRP Project 4 2015-2020 Analytical Core

Details

Metrics

436 Record Views
60 Times Cited - Web of Science
Logo image