Analytica Chimica Acta, 124 zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA (1981) 31-38 o Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -Printed in The Netherlands COLLECTION OF ATMOSPHERIC POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS ON AMBERLITE XAD-2 RESINS GREGORY J. HOLLODa and STEVEN J. EISENR.EICH* Environmental Engineering Program, Lkpcrtment of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Minnesota. Minneapolis, MN 55455 (U.S.A.) (Received 21st April 1980) SUMMARY The collection and retention capabilities of an Amberlite XAD-2 resin for polychlor- inated biphenyl (p.c.b.) isomeric mixtures were investigated in a high-volume air sampling system Collection efficiency studies, performed by spiking the glass fiber fiiters with Aroclor 1221, 1242 and 1254 komeric standards, gave average recoveries of 93%. Poly- chlorinated biphenyl retention studies using ambient atmospheric p.c.b. and collection fiow rates of 0.4 m3 min-’ showed that the theoretical p.c.b. breakthrough occurred for a 600-ml XAD-2 resin bed at approximately 340 m3 of air and for a 420-ml resin bed at approximately 115 m’ of air_ Results illustrate the need to evaluate breakthrough volumes when collecting volatile trace organ& in the atmosphere. An increasing interest in the role of the atmosphere as a pathway for global transport of toxic organics, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (p.c.b.), has generated a need to determine atmospheric concentrations of these compounds [l-3]. Since the concentration of atmospheric p.c.b. is low (i.e. lo+ g/m3), determination requires a preconcentration/isolation step. Different types of solid adsorbents have been utilized in the collection of atmospheric p.c.b. with polyurethane foam plugs (p-f-p.) [4, 53, coated p.f.p. 16, 73, and florisil [S, 91 being the most popular choices. Recently a divinylbenzene copolymer resin (XAD-2) has been shown to be efficient at collecting atmospheric organics when compared to florisil, and a higher collection efficiency for some p.c.b. isomers when compared to the p.f.p. systems [lo]. The efficiency of an air sampling system for the collection of atmospheric p.c.b. can be evaluated using elution chromatography, where the spike is introduced to the adsorbent column as a single plug and eluded as a band [ll]. However, during an air sampling event, the collection system behaves similarly to a fronta.I molid cbromatographic system, continuously intro- ducing atmospheric p.c.b. to the adsorbent column [12]. This study investi- gates the movement of p.c.b. through an XAD-2 resin bed as a function of the total ambient air volume sampled. aResent address: E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Environmental Transport Division, Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, SC 29801, U.S.A.