Two different systems are used for naming PCBs. Section 1 Executive summary and Section 4, Sources of human and environmental exposure Concise international chemical assessment document 55 Polychlorinated biphenyls : Human health aspects.
The commercial production of PCBs started in 1929 but their use has been banned or severely restricted in many countries since the 1970s and 80s because of the possible risks to human health and the environment.Īs PCBs are resistant to acids and bases as well as to heat, they have been used as an insulating material in electric equipment, such as transformers and capacitors, and also in heat transfer fluids and in lubricants.