Document VJ9EOgzLerz187dEBBVL98nBq

Monsanto . r.,;. "ZZ: > ,n.:.r>cH, w. R. Richard - Research Center v.i.ic: c*cih-i TO March 3, .1969 ' *' ' . . Wheeler - EWHEE . cc H. S. Bergen R. E. Kelly J. Garrett J. Springate T. Ford P. S. Park HBERG RKELL JGARR JSPRI TFORD PPARK 41369 Bob Keller dictated these notes to outline our position as seen by Keller, Dietrich. Emery and Tucker after reviewing our^analytical results and the published literature to'~dat^r" This is our present "legal" position on PCB in wildlife* It can turn out that Risebrough will be proven to be correct and hence we -are not ready for an open challenge in the press if it can be avoided. This is for background information only, not for publication. ms Att. W. R. Richard PCB-ARCH-EXT0376009 rt. b. ivener oo 4k iiiouaiu piiwii. * Publications in hand (1,2) show that Risebrough has not made a positive structure identification to presence of chlorinated hydrocarbons (Biphenyls) let alone Aroclor products in material he has worked with. His approach is not an absolute identification procedure. It's based on similar retention times for 10 com ponents eluted through a gas chromatography column. This measure ment is- not specific for chemical compounds in unknown mixtures. Furthermore, the electron capture detector used to monitor sep arated component is not specific for chlorine or even halogens. Work in our labs shows at least 13 components in Aroclor 1242, 17 in Aroclor 1254 and 14 in Aroclor 1260 with different retention times than those reported by Risebrough. More information is needed about un-reported experimental chromatographic conditions used by Risebrough to resolve differences between labs. Risebrough. has based his conclusions implicating chlorinated biphenyls on work by Holmes (3), Holden (3a) Widmark (4), and Jensen (5). Holmes and Holt obtained similar gas chromatography containing 11,13 and 7 peaks respectively for commercial polychlo- biphenyl resin. Holmes and Holden also did not make a positive structure identification. .. Widmaikand Jensen in Europe (Sweden) obtained a similar gas chromatography for eagle extracts. Chromatographic fractions from this work were identified structurally by Mass Spec as higher chlorinated biphenyls. Risebrough, in his reported work has apparently made no positive identification of this type. His implication of chlorinated biphenyls appears to be by reference back to above work through similar chromatograms. To the best of our knowledge, no one has identified components structurally in biological systems as chlorinated biphenyls In U.S.A. Work is underway inour labs on an unequivocal structure identification of unknown organic species in products using gas chro matography and mass spectroscopy techniques. REFERENCES: . ` . . (1) Risebrough , R. W., Chem. Fall,,0ut, First Rochester Conference on Toxicity, in the Prey's '(I'jols) (2) Risebrough, R, W. Nature, Draft of Paper in Press . PCB-ARCH-EXT0376010 V -2- REFERENCES - Cont',, ROUGH DRAFT (5) Holmes, D. C. ,s . 216, 227 (l96V'j Simmons, J.H., Tatton, J., Nature . (3a) Holden, A.V. ``hd Marsden, K., Nature 216, 127^ (1967) (^) Widmark, G. . Assoc. Off., Anal. Chem. 50, 1069 (1967) (5) Jensen, S., N. W Scientist, 32, 612 (1966) from R. E. Keller per phone to M. Stanley 2/28/69 PCB-ARCH-EXT0376011