Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are a group of industrial chemicals used
primarily as flame retardants and plasticizers. They are added to certain
metalworking fluids, paints, coatings, and sealants to improve their
heat-resistance or other physical properties. Because of their high degree of
chlorination, CPs tend to be persistent in the environment and toxic to aquatic
organisms. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified CPs in
Group 2B as possibly carcinogenic to humans.
KAR has developed its own unique analytical method for
chlorinated paraffins which is based upon an existing U.S. EPA method from the
Solid Waste manual. The aqueous sample is pH adjusted, serially solvent
extracted with solvent, then concentrated. The GC/MS measurement system is
calibrated at three concentrations on three separate chlorinated paraffin
standards: C10-C13, C14-C17, and C17-C30. The extract is then analyzed and
the concentration determined from the appropriate calibration curve(s),
depending on the range of compounds detected. The reporting limit for a 1liter
sample is 1 ppm.