Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of manmade chemicals that were widely used in various industrial applications due to their stability and resistance to extreme conditions.
What are PCBs?
Based on information from the Illinois Department of Public Health, Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are defined as:
- A group of manmade chemicals.
- They exist as oily liquids or solids.
- Their typical appearance is clear to yellow in color.
- They have no smell or taste.
Characteristics of PCBs
PCBs possess several key characteristics that made them useful in the past but also contributed to their environmental persistence:
- Stability: They are very stable mixtures.
- Resistance: They are resistant to extreme temperature and pressure.
These properties meant that PCBs did not easily break down in the environment.
Historical Uses
Due to their stability and electrical insulating properties, PCBs were used widely in industrial equipment.
Common applications included:
- Electrical Equipment:
- Capacitors
- Transformers
These uses often involved large quantities of PCBs, leading to potential environmental contamination when the equipment was disposed of or leaked. Although their production has been banned in many countries, PCBs can still be found in older equipment and the environment.
