polychlorinated biphenyl

English

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌpoʊliˌklɔrəˌneɪtəd ˈbaɪfənɪl/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌpɒlɪˌklɔːrɪneɪtɪd ˈbaɪfənɪl/

Noun

polychlorinated biphenyl (plural polychlorinated biphenyls)

1. (organic chemistry) Any of a class of aromatic organic compounds formed by the chlorination of the hydrocarbon biphenyl; they have many industrial applications but are now considered persistent organic pollutants.

   Synonym: PCB

   • 1986, Valerie M. Thom, “Coastal habitats”, in Birds in Scotland, London: T & AD Poyser, published 2011, →ISBN, page 25:

     Another environmental factor thought to be affecting some coastal birds, although comparatively little is yet known about its extent or origin, is the presence of marine pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and toxic heavy metals.

   • 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Nepyma:

     The microbes devoured the chlorides in the earth; as metabolic byproducts, they produced toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). By the time the infestation was contained an area of nearly 30 square kilometers had been effectively turned into a toxic waste dump.

Coordinate terms

• decachlorobiphenyl
• dichlorobiphenyl
• heptachlorobiphenyl
• hexachlorobiphenyl
• monochlorobiphenyl
• nonachlorobiphenyl
• octachlorobiphenyl
• pentachlorobiphenyl
• tetrachlorobiphenyl
• trichlorobiphenyl

 

Translations

PCB

• Galician: bifenilo policlorado (gl) m
• Spanish: policlorobifenilo

Further reading

• polychlorinated biphenyl on Wikipedia.Wikipedia