PCB and Environmental Neat Standards - Your essential resource for Agilent ULTRA chemical standards

Importance of the topic

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), dioxins, furans and related compounds are persistent organic pollutants of global concern. Their chemical stability, lipophilicity, and toxicological profiles make accurate quantitation and standardization essential for environmental monitoring, food and beverage analysis, pharmaceutical research, and regulatory compliance. Certified reference materials (CRMs) and neat standards underpin reliable, reproducible analytical workflows across a variety of chromatographic and spectroscopic platforms.

Objectives and study overview

This document presents Agilent’s comprehensive portfolio of PCB and environmental neat standards in both neat and solution forms. It describes the range of products available, the accreditation and quality levels applied during production, and typical application methods (EPA methods 680 and 8082, European protocols). The goal is to provide laboratories with guidance on selecting appropriate standards for calibration, quality control, and method validation.

Methodology and instrumentation

Agilent manufactures all standards under an ISO 9001 quality management system, with triple certification to ISO Guide 34 for reference material production, ISO 17025 for analytical testing, and GHS compliance for safety data. Products are offered at three validation levels: Level I (gravimetric preparation with calculated uncertainty), Level II (analytical verification of concentration or purity), and Level III (fully certified with expanded uncertainty). Typical workflows involve gravimetric dispensing using NIST-traceable weights and FID/GC-FID or GC/MS purity determinations. Standards are available in various solvents (hexane, isooctane, acetone, toluene) and concentrations, and custom formulations can be produced on demand.

Main findings and discussion

Agilent’s portfolio includes over 200 individual PCB congeners (up to decachlorobiphenyl), PBBs, chlorinated and brominated diphenyl ethers, dioxins, furans, terphenyls, metabolites, and additional environmental compounds. Mixtures tailored to EPA 680 and 8082 calibration, windowing, and SIM applications are provided, alongside technical mixtures such as Aroclors 1016–1268 and transformer oil kits. The catalog also covers European PCB congener mixtures (NEN 5734, EN 12766), locator standards, and industrial terphenyl solutions.

Benefits and practical applications of the method

• Traceability and accuracy: ISO-accredited manufacturing ensures low uncertainty and batch consistency.
• Wide coverage: Standards for single congeners, complex mixtures, and custom analytes support diverse analytical needs.
• Compliance support: Ready-to-use kits conform to EPA and European regulatory methods.
• Workflow integration: Compatibility with Agilent instrumentation, columns, consumables, and software enhances laboratory efficiency.

Future trends and potential applications

Emerging needs include reference materials for novel flame retardants, non-targeted screening of halogenated micropollutants, and isotopically labeled internal standards for high-resolution mass spectrometry workflows. Digitalization of certificates of analysis, on-demand manufacturing via advanced dispensing technologies, and integration with laboratory information management systems (LIMS) will further streamline quality control. Collaborations on stability studies under climate-relevant conditions and miniaturized standard formats may address sustainability and sample-limited analyses.

Conclusion

Agilent’s extensive and rigorously certified standards portfolio addresses the critical demand for reliable reference materials in environmental, food, pharmaceutical, and industrial analytics. Through adherence to international accreditation standards and by offering both off-the-shelf and custom solutions, laboratories gain confidence in their data quality and regulatory compliance.

References

1 Euro Chlor. Risk Assessment for the Marine Environment: PCBs and Related Compounds. 2002.