Reversed-phase chromatographic study of the binding of polychlorinated biphenyls to cyclodextrins and sodium dodecylsulphate.

The binding of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD), tau-cyclodextrin (tau-CD) and sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) was studied by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography and the relative strength of interaction was calculated. HP-beta-CD and SDS did not bind to PCBs making it unlikely that these compounds modify the adsorption capacity or decomposition rate of PCBs. Each PCB formed inclusion complexes with tau-cyclodextrin. The inclusion-forming capacity of PCBs increased with an increase in the number of chloro substitutions in the molecule, indicating that tau-CD can be successfully used for the modification of the physicochemical and biochemical characteristics of PCBs. The linear correlation between the hydrophobicity and specific hydrophobic area of PCBs indicated that they can be considered as a homologous series of compounds.