Document x5bnRrm2rjpEGj2bOE4MDkwxG

GENERAL 0 ELECTRIC: CORPORATE RESEARCH AO DEVELOPMENT TS.TECSO nrfl-5 W7A p. o. eox a SCHENECTADY, N. Y. 12301 DIAL COMM 8*235- ^ N t> 010327 Building K-l, Room 3B35 Tovember 30, 1978 J.S. Nelson, Consultant Product Environ. Compatibility 3135 Easton Turnpike Fairfield, Connecticut 06431 * Subject: Analysis of Used Transformer PCB's for PCDF's At your request, I submit a summary of CRD's efforts of the past 18 months to resolve the question of whether or not the PCB's that had been exposed to prolonged use in transformers might contain significant levels of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF's). Only the highlights are listed here: l 1. Spring, 1977. Renewed efforts by DH Wilkins to find commercial analyst for PCDF's (1976 search a fizzle); DuPont agreed to work on problem without promising results. 2. 6/1/77. S 3. 11/10/77. 'Verbal report from DuPont. No luck. ^ 4. 11/11/77. Selikoff phoned me re PCDF problem generally. Offered to intercede to get analysis done at NIEHS. : 5. 12/9/77. DuPont report (Attached) 6. 12/19/77. to do analysis, but wanted 1 gallon samples, -also controls. 7. 12/77-2/78 . Osthoff produced necessary samples and background data. I forwarded them to McKinney. 3. 2/13/78.. Brown to McKinney: descriptive letter on samples and desired analysis (Attached) 9. 6/25/78 I ran into Moore at NYAS meeting and needled, He indicated heavy workload and backlog. 10. 9/22/73. McKinney, to Brown: letter on initial findings indi cated long list of minor contaminants in oil samples; evidence*of a potentially alarming new type of contaminan the polychlorinated diphenyl ethers; suggestive evidence of massive chlorine redistribution in the used oil; suggestive evidence of much PCDF in new oil? and inab H i t to analyse for PCDF in used oil. (Attached) 783138 t Analysis of Used Transformer PCB's for PCDF's 2- 11 10/17/78. Brown to McKinney: letter expressing concern over initial conclusions (Attached) 12 11/15/78. McKinney to Brown: revised report (Attached) 13 11/22/78. Brown to McKinney: letter summarizing apparent conclusions (Attached) 14 11/27/78. Brown to Osthoff: covering letter to above (Attached) The net result, as you can see if you plow through the many pages of detailed technical arguments attached, is that neither DuPont nor NIKHS was able to detect any PCDF at all in the used PCB transformer oil, but neither wanted to go on record stating this negative finding in plain English. Sincerely, cc: M Aven JB Bush John F. Brown, Jr. Mgr - Life Sciences Branch PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY ENP 010328 783139