Technical Data Sheet - May 2014

SM-TCPs
Potentiometric Test Kit
Italian Patent N 0001406566

Sea Marconi - Total Chlorine and PCBs screening

in insulating liquids (e.g. mineral oil), quantification from 2 to 2000 mg kg-1 of Total Chlorine / PCBs

1. Introduction
Chlorinated organic compounds, such as PolyChlorinated Biphenyl (PCBs) are Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that can be found in insulating
liquids inside the electrical equipment (power transformers, distribution transformers, industrial transformers, rectifier transformers, instrument
transformers, reactors, switchgears, bushings, tap-changers, selectors/diverter tanks, capacitors, cables, etc.) for the generation, transmission,
distribution and use of electrical energy.
Insulating liquids and relative equipment are classified PCBs and Equipment containing PCBs, respectively, when the total concentration of PCBs
(PolyChlorinated Biphenyls - 209 possible congeners), PCTs (PolyChlorinated Terphenyls 8557 possible congeners) and PCBTs (PolyChlorinated
Benzyl Toluenes thousands of possible congeners) exceeds the limits prescribed by local regulations in regard of the matrices and/or the
applications. PCBs are classified as hazardous and bio-accumulable along the food chain.
During their operational life cycle, such equipment and insulating liquids degrade. The inadequacy of the management and maintenance procedures,
accelerates degradation phenomena, inducing failures that could cause accidents with significant environmental impact. In accordance with
Directive 96/59/EC, during their service life, PCB-containing equipment should, under certain conditions, be subjected to measures capable of
preventing and/or mitigating degradation processes and PCB spillage, to ensure the protection of workers, public health and the environment, as
well as complying with the prescriptions of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) 2001.

2. Scope
The scope of this SM - TCPs - potentiometric kit is to provide a quantitative Smart Field Test (SFT) suitable also for personnel with no or
little chemistry training. It is the perfect tool for the intelligent Life Cycle Management (LCM) and the related activities of inventory, control,
management, decontamination and/or disposal of electrical equipments and containers with insulating liquids (such as mineral insulating oils)
containing PCBs. It complies with the European Council Directives (96/59/EC) using Best Available Techniques BAT (96/61/EC), Best
Environmental Practices (BEP), Commission Decision (2001/68/EC), according to Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)2001 implemented on 17th May 2004., IEC 60422 Ed.4-2012, CENELEC CLC/TR 50503 February 2010, CIGRE 413 April 2010, other technical
standards and/or national or local regulations.
SM - TCPs KIT Test is an efficient tool for a rapid and easy quantitative determination of Total Chlorine and PCB screening in the following
cases:
A - to control the total chlorine content in insulating liquids in electrical equipment, (e.g. transformers impregnated with mineral insulating oil ,etc.)
in case no information regarding PCB contamination is available ;
B to verify the compliance with legislative limits
C- to prevent or mitigate the risk of PCB cross contamination (e.g. refilling, topping up, reconditioning, reclamation and/or electrical maintenance),
during the LCM activities.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: if the total chlorine concentration indicates that the PCBs equivalent concentration is below the limit indicated by national
and/or local regulations it can be scientifically predicted that the liquid and/or related equipment can be classified as NON PCBs (Green Level).
On the contrary, if the concentration of total chlorine indicates that the PCBs equivalent concentration is greater than the limit indicated by the local
regulations, it can be scientifically predicted that the liquid and/or related equipment are to be classified as SUSPECTED PCBs (Yellow/Red Level).
In Europe a PCBs concentration above 50 mg Kg-1 is considered SUSPECTED PCBs (Yellow Level) .
In Europe a PCBs concentration above 500 mg Kg-1 is considered SUSPECTED PCBs - HIGH (Red Level). In these last cases the PCBs
concentration has to be confirmed by an accredited laboratory through an official method.
The communication to statutory authorities regarding contaminated equipment should, in any case, be provided by accredited laboratories on the
basis of chemical analyses performed in accordance with technical standards such as IEC-EN 61619 for polychlorobiphenyls and EN-12766 for PCTs
and PCBTs. The test reports relative to the determination of PCBs should confirm the correct application of the Standards and the requisites of
competence of the test laboratories (EN ISO/IEC 17025, EN ISO 9001). Uncertainty should be indicated in the test report.

3. Description
SM TCPs-KIT Test is applicable in used and unused insulating liquids and solid matrices, according to the scope described in clause 2. The
method provides the value of total chlorine concentration in the range from 2 to 2000 mg kg-1 of Total Chlorine / PCBs (conversion to Aroclor
1242, 1254, 1260 ). The organic chlorine compounds (e.g. from Polychlorinated Biphenyls) are converted into inorganic chlorine through a sodium
based reaction, and then quantified through a potentiometric determination. The reagents have been premeasured and preserved under an inertgas atmosphere. The results can be expressed as total chlorine or Aroclor equivalent (1260, 1254, 1242), by looking at the enclosed conversion
table or using the Excel sheet provided. The Total Chlorine content has been determined by using a solution of Askarel (Aroclor 1260 in
trichlorobenzene) that has undergone GC-ECD analysis according to IEC-61619. The other Aroclor mixture (1242 and 1254) equivalents have been
calculated on the basis of literature data (Analytical Chemistry of PCBs Mitchell. D. Erickson Lewis Publishers Inc. 1992 0-87371-702-3, USA).
WARNING: The determination of total chlorine with SM-TCPs - Potentiometric Test Kit has to be carried out in compliance with
the procedure indicated and the material provided.

2014 Sea Marconi Technologies sas - All Rights Reserved

4. Specifications
Chlorinated organic compounds in insulating liquids
Potentiometric titration

Analysis
Method
Measurement
range
Analysis Time
Packaging

2 2000 mg Kg-1 as Total Chlorine/ PCBs

About 10 minutes
40 kits per box.

5. Materials

Hardware
ISE electrode with standard solution and readout
CD with calculation program and instruction

Consumables

Quantity

Plastic syringe 5 ml
Plastic syringe 20 ml
0.45 mm nylon filters
Extracting solution (PES)
Sodium biphenyl

40
40
80
10 ml x 40
1 ml x 40

Loading and
conversion

Extraction

Separation

Quantification

2014 Sea Marconi Technologies sas - All Rights Reserved