... The samples were purified using calcium chloride, silica, and alumina (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA). For the identification and quantification of PCBs, a mixture of 39 authenticated standards was used, corresponding to the following congeners: 1, 2, 3,4,5,7,9,16,18,19,22,25,28,44,52,56,66,67,71,74,82,87,99,110,138,146,147,153,173,174,177,179,180,187,194,195,199,203, and 206 (AccuStandard, New Haven, CT, USA). For the identification and quantification of PBDEs, a mixture of 39 authenticated standards was used corresponding to the following congeners: 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 21, 28, 30, 32, 33, 35, 37, 47, 49, 66, 71, 75, 77, 85, 99, 100, 116, 118, 119, 126, 137, 153, 154, 155, 166, 182, 183, and 190 (AccuStandard, New Haven, CT, USA). ...