System for decomposition of poly:chloro-bi:phenyls into harmless substance

摘要

A system for the treatment of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) to render them harmless, comprises: (1) an apparatus for decomposing PCBs, present in known concentration in a liquid; and (2) an analyser for determining the amount of PCBs in the liquid discharged from the above apparatus. Analysis is based on the intensity of the light of wavelength 450-600 nm emitted when the liquid containing PCBs is irradiated with light with a wavelength from 400 nm to less than 450 nm that can stimulate PCBs. Also claimed are: (i) systems using (a) stimulating light with a wavelength from 300 nm to less than 450 nm, which stimulates PCB decomposition products or (b) both types of stimulating light, i.e. with wavelengths from 300 nm to less than 400 nm and from 400 nm to less than 450 nm; and (ii) apparatus and methods for the quantitative determination of PCBs or PCB decomposition products or the ratio of PCBs to PCB decomposition products.