Procedure for the Analysis of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Environmental and Human Matrices to Implement the Global Monitoring Plan under the Stockholm Convention Protocol 2: Protocol for the Analysis of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) and Organochlorine Pesticides (OCP) in Human Milk, Air and Human Serum

The Global Monitoring Plan of the Stockholm Convention sets a framework for the analysis of persistent organic pollutants (POPs); therein, the congeners recommended for analysis in the core matrices are listed (see chapter 2 of the “Guidance on the global monitoring plan for persistent organic pollutants”, UNEP 2013). A protocol is needed to ensure that these compounds are always analysed correctly in various laboratories and in the same way. This procedure covers polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and organochlorine pesticides (OCP). The present protocol describes the method for sample preparation, extraction, purification and analysis of six indicator PCB and OCPs (see Table 1) in human milk, human serum and air.