Theoretical perspectives on the mechanism and kinetics of the OH radical-initiated gas-phase oxidation of PCB126 in the atmosphere

•A comprehensive mechanism of OH-initiated oxidation of PCB126 was investigated.•The formation of PCDFs from the oxidation of PCBs is determined for the first time.•The rate constants for key elementary reactions were estimated by the RRKM theory.•The atmospheric lifetime of PCB126 determined by OH radicals is about 47.08 days.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) primarily exist in the gas phase in air and may undergo atmospheric oxidation degradations, particularly the oxidation reaction initiated by OH radicals. In this work, the mechanism of the OH radical-initiated atmospheric oxidation of the most toxic PCB congener 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) was investigated by using quantum chemistry methods. The rate constants of the crucial elementary reactions were estimated by the Rice–Ramsperger–Kassel–Marcus (RRKM) theory. The oxidation products of the reaction of PCB126 with OH radicals include 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl-ols, chlorophenols, 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran, 2,3,4,6,7-pentachlorodibenzofuran, dialdehydes, 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachloro-5′-nitro-biphenyl, and 4,5-dichloro-2-nitrophenol. Particularly, the formation of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) from the atmospheric oxidation of PCBs is revealed for the first time. The overall rate constant of the OH addition reaction is 2.52 × 10− 13 cm3 molecule− 1 s− 1 at 298 K and 1 atm. The atmospheric lifetime of PCB126 determined by OH radicals is about 47.08 days which indicates that PCB126 can be transported long distances from local to global scales.