Meaning of polychlorinated biphenyl | Babel Free

Definitions

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.

Equivalents

Examples

“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.”

“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.”

CEFR level