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Siddiqui MU, Sibtain M, Ahmad F, Zushi Y, Nabi D. Screening Disinfection Byproducts in Arid-Coastal Wastewater: A Workflow Using GC×GC-TOFMS, Passive Sampling, and NMF Deconvolution Algorithm. J Xenobiot 2024; 14:554-574. [PMID: 38804286 PMCID: PMC11130967 DOI: 10.3390/jox14020033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Disinfection during tertiary municipal wastewater treatment is a necessary step to control the spread of pathogens; unfortunately, it also gives rise to numerous disinfection byproducts (DBPs), only a few of which are regulated because of the analytical challenges associated with the vast number of potential DBPs. This study utilized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) passive samplers, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS), and non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) spectral deconvolution for suspect screening of DBPs in treated wastewater. PDMS samplers were deployed upstream and downstream of the chlorination unit in a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in Abu Dhabi, and their extracts were analyzed using GC×GC-TOFMS. A workflow incorporating a multi-tiered, eight-filter screening process was developed, which successfully enabled the reliable isolation of 22 candidate DBPs from thousands of peaks. The NMF spectral deconvolution improved the match factor score of unknown mass spectra to the reference mass spectra available in the NIST library by 17% and facilitated the identification of seven additional DBPs. The close match of the first-dimension retention index data and the GC×GC elution patterns of DBPs, both predicted using the Abraham solvation model, with their respective experimental counterparts-with the measured data available in the NIST WebBook and the GC×GC elution patterns being those observed for the candidate peaks-significantly enhanced the accuracy of peak assignment. Isotopic pattern analysis revealed a close correspondence for 11 DBPs with clearly visible isotopologues in reference spectra, thereby further strengthening the confidence in the peak assignment of these DBPs. Brominated analogues were prevalent among the detected DBPs, possibly due to seawater intrusion. The fate, behavior, persistence, and toxicity of tentatively identified DBPs were assessed using EPI Suite™ and the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard. This revealed their significant toxicity to aquatic organisms, including developmental, mutagenic, and endocrine-disrupting effects in certain DBPs. Some DBPs also showed activity in various CompTox bioassays, implicating them in adverse molecular pathways. Additionally, 11 DBPs demonstrated high environmental persistence and resistance to biodegradation. This combined approach offers a powerful tool for future research and environmental monitoring, enabling accurate identification and assessment of DBPs and their potential risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Usman Siddiqui
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 48000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Sibtain
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 48000, Pakistan
| | - Farrukh Ahmad
- BioEnergy & Environmental Laboratory (BEEL), Masdar Institute Campus, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates
- California Environmental Protection Agency, Cypress, CA 90630, USA
| | - Yasuyuki Zushi
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba 305-8569, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Deedar Nabi
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 48000, Pakistan
- BioEnergy & Environmental Laboratory (BEEL), Masdar Institute Campus, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Wischhofstr. 1-3, 24148 Kiel, Germany
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Suchana S, Passeport E. Implications of polar organic chemical integrative sampler for high membrane sorption and suitability of polyethersulfone as a single-phase sampler. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:157898. [PMID: 35952872 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) contains sorbent, which is typically enclosed between two polyethersulfones (PES) membranes. A significant PES uptake is reported for many contaminants, yet, aqueous concentration is mainly correlated with the sorbent uptake using first-order kinetics. Under high PES sorption, the first-order kinetics often provide erroneous sampling rate for the sorbent phase due to increased membrane resistance. This work evaluated the uptake of four high PES sorbing chemicals, i.e., three Cl- and CH3-substituted nitrobenzenes and one chlorinated aniline using POCIS and the potential of a single-phase PES sampler using laboratory experiments. POCIS calibration results demonstrated that both sorbent and membrane had similar affinity for the target compounds. A rapid PES sorption occurred in the earlier days (<7 days) followed by a gradual increase in the PES phase concentration (equilibrium not achieved after 60 days). Especially, the membrane was the primary sink for 3,4-dichloroaniline and 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene for up to 14 and 31 days, respectively. On the other hand, the single-phase PES sampler showed similar mass uptake as POCIS and reached equilibrium within 19 days under static condition, indicating its potential suitability in the equilibrium regime. PES-water partition coefficient of the target compounds was between 1.2 and 6.5 L/g. Finally, we present a poly-parameter linear-free energy relationship (pp-LFER) using published data to predict the PES-water partition coefficients. The pp-LFER models showed moderate predictability as indicated by R2adj values between 0.7 and 0.9 for both internal and external data set consisting of a wide range of hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds (-0.1 ≤ logKOW ≤ 7.4). The proposed pp-LFER model can be used to screen high PES-sorbing chemicals to increase the reliability and accuracy of aqueous concentration prediction from POCIS sampling and to select the most appropriate sampling approach for new compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamsunnahar Suchana
- Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A4, Canada
| | - Elodie Passeport
- Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, 35 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A4, Canada; Department of Chemical Engineering & Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E5, Canada.
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MacKeown H, Benedetti B, Scapuzzi C, Di Carro M, Magi E. A Review on Polyethersulfone Membranes in Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers: Preparation, Characterization and Innovation. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2022:1-17. [PMID: 36263980 DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2022.2131374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The membranes in polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) enclose the receiving sorbent and protect it from coming into direct contact with the environmental matrix. They have a crucial role in extending the kinetic regime of contaminant uptake, by slowing down their diffusion between the water phase and the receiving phase. The drive to improve passive sampling requires membranes with better design and enhanced performances. In this review, the preparation of standard polyethersulfone (PES) membranes for POCIS is presented, as well as methods to evaluate their composition, morphology, structure, and performance. Generally, only supplier-related morphological and structural data are provided, such as membrane type, thickness, surface area, and pore diameter. The issues related to the use of PES membranes in POCIS applications are exposed. Finally, alternative membranes to PES in POCIS are also discussed, although no better membrane has yet been developed. This review highlights the urge for more membrane characterization details and a better comprehension of the mechanisms which underlay their behavior and performance, to improve membrane selection and optimize passive sampler development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry MacKeown
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Barbara Benedetti
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Scapuzzi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marina Di Carro
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Emanuele Magi
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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Taylor AC, Fones GR, Vrana B, Mills GA. Applications for Passive Sampling of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in Water—A Review. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2019; 51:20-54. [DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2019.1675043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam C. Taylor
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Gary R. Fones
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Branislav Vrana
- Faculty of Science, Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Graham A. Mills
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
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Mijangos L, Ziarrusta H, Prieto A, Zugazua O, Zuloaga O, Olivares M, Usobiaga A, Paschke A, Etxebarria N. Evaluation of polar organic chemical integrative and hollow fibre samplers for the determination of a wide variety of organic polar compounds in seawater. Talanta 2018; 185:469-476. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.03.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Liao C, Richards J, Taylor AR, Gan J. Development of polyurethane-based passive samplers for ambient monitoring of urban-use insecticides in water. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 231:1412-1420. [PMID: 28939123 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Widespread use of insecticides for the control of urban pests such as ants, termites, and spiders has resulted in contamination and toxicity in urban aquatic ecosystems in different regions of the world. Passive samplers are a convenient and integrative tool for in situ monitoring of trace contaminants in surface water. However, the performance of a passive sampler depends closely on its affinity for the target analytes, making passive samplers highly specific to the types of contaminants being monitored. The goal of this study was to develop a passive sampler compatible with a wide range of insecticides, including the strongly hydrophobic pyrethroids and the weakly hydrophobic fipronil and organophosphates. Of six candidate polymeric thin films, polyurethane film (PU) was identified to be the best at enriching the test compounds. The inclusion of stable isotope labeled analogs as performance reference compounds (PRCs) further allowed the use of PU film for pyrethroids under non-equilibrium conditions. The PU sampler was tested in a large aquarium with circulatory water flow, and also deployed at multiple sites in surface streams in southern California. The concentrations of pesticides derived from the PU sampler ranged from 0.5 to 18.5 ng/L, which were generally lower than the total chemical concentration measured by grab samples, suggesting that suspended particles and dissolved organic matter in water rendered them less available. The influence of suspended particles and dissolved organic matter on bioavailability was more pronounced for pyrethroids than for fipronils. The results show that the developed PU film sampler, when coupled with PRCs, may be used for rapid and sensitive in-situ monitoring of a wide range of insecticides in surface water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyang Liao
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, United States; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Jaben Richards
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, United States
| | - Allison R Taylor
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, United States
| | - Jay Gan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, United States
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Posada-Ureta O, Olivares M, Delgado A, Prieto A, Vallejo A, Irazola M, Paschke A, Etxebarria N. Applicability of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyethersulfone (PES) as passive samplers of more hydrophobic organic compounds in intertidal estuarine environments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 578:392-398. [PMID: 27838055 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The uptake calibration of three passive samplers, stir-bars, MESCO/stir-bars and polyethersulfone tubes (PESt), was assessed in seawater at different salinities for 17 organic compounds including organochlorine compounds, pesticides, phthalates, musk fragrances and triclosan. The calibration procedure was accomplished by exposing the samplers to a continuous flow of fortified seawater for up to 14days under laboratory conditions. Prior to the exposure, stir-bars and MESCO/stir-bars were loaded with a known amount of deuterated PAH mixture as performance reference compounds (PRC). For most of the studied compounds, the sampling rates (Rs, mL·day-1) were determined for each sampler at two salinities (15 and 30‰) and two nominal concentrations (25 and 50ng·L-1). Among the tested devices, though PES can be an outstanding cheap alternative to other passive samplers, naked or free stir-bars provided the best results in terms of uptake rates (i.e., the Rs values ranged from 30 to 350mL·day-1). Regarding the variation of the salinity, the Rs values obtained with naked stir-bars were statistically comparable in the full range of salinities (0-30‰) but the values obtained with MESCO/stir-bars and PESt were salinity dependent. Consequently, only stir-bars assured the required robustness to be used as passive samplers in intertidal estuarine environments. Finally, the stir-bars were applied to estimate the time-weighted average concentration of some of those contaminants in the feeding seawater of the experimental aquaria at the Plentzia Marine Station (Basque Country) and low levels of musks fragrances (0.1-0.2ng·L-1) were estimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Posada-Ureta
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), PK. 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain.
| | - Maitane Olivares
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), PK. 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain; Plentzia Marine Station, University of the Basque Country (PIE-UPV/EHU), Areatza Pasealekua, 48620, Plentzia, Biscay, Spain
| | - Alejandra Delgado
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), PK. 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Ailette Prieto
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), PK. 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain; Plentzia Marine Station, University of the Basque Country (PIE-UPV/EHU), Areatza Pasealekua, 48620, Plentzia, Biscay, Spain
| | - Asier Vallejo
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), PK. 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Mireia Irazola
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), PK. 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Albrecht Paschke
- Department of Ecological Chemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nestor Etxebarria
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), PK. 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain; Plentzia Marine Station, University of the Basque Country (PIE-UPV/EHU), Areatza Pasealekua, 48620, Plentzia, Biscay, Spain
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