Substance-Specific Issues

PCBs in microscopy oils

Substances:

PCBs; CAS No. 1336-36-3

Prohibition:

By virtue of their inclusion as Item 26 in Part I of Schedule I to the Hazardous Products Act (HPA):

liquids containing polychlorinated biphenyls for use in microscopy, including immersion oils but not including refractive index oils

are prohibited from sale, importation and advertisement in Canada.

Background:

PCBs had been a constituent of microscope immersion oils and refractive index oils. Microscope immersion oils are used to increase the light gathering power of high magnification microscopes. Major users of these oils include laboratory technicians who carry out the microscopic examination of biological and other materials. Refractive index oils are used principally by mineralogists and geologists in refractive index determinations for the identification of mineral specimens.

Adequate substitutes for the PCB-based microscope immersion oils were available on the market which was not the case for refractive index oils. Scientific associations and distributors of refractive index oils had been alerted to the potential hazards.

Note: Subsection 3(1) of the Chlorobiphenyls Regulations, established under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) stipulates:

"... no person shall manufacture, process, use, offer for sale or import chlorobiphenyls [...] as a constituent of any product, machinery or equipment manufactured in or imported into Canada on or after September 1, 1977, other than electrical capacitors and electrical transformers and associated electrical equipment"

As specified in Schedule I to CEPA, List of Toxic Substances, this prohibition applies to chlorobiphenyls having at least three chlorine atoms.

Reference:

Chlorobiphenyls Regulations as published in the Canada Gazette Part II, Vol. 125, No. 6, SOR 91-152, March 13, 1991.