Fast isolation of hydrophobic organic environmental contaminants from exposed semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) prior to GC analysis

Comparison of passive sampling and biota for monitoring of tonalide in aquatic environment

Synthetic musk compounds are extensively used in personal care and cosmetic products all over the world. Afterwards, they are discharged into the environment mainly because they are not completely removed in wastewater treatment plants. The aim of this study was to investigate if a passive sampler is applicable for the monitoring of tonalide, a polycyclic musk compound, in the aquatic environment and to compare the levels of tonalide in pesticide-polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) and biota. For this purpose, four sampling localities on the three biggest rivers in the Czech Republic were selected. Tonalide was determined in POCIS at all sampling sites in the concentration ranging from 9 ng/POCIS (Labe River, Hradec Králové) to 25 ng/POCIS (Morava River, Blatec). The locality with the most frequent occurrence of tonalide in biota samples was the Morava River which well corresponded with the highest tonalide concentration in POCIS among sampling sites. The highest number of positive tonalide detections among all studied biota samples was found in fish plasma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence that tonalide bioaccumulates in fish blood. Tonalide levels were below the limit of quantification in benthos samples at all sampling sites.

Assessing air quality inside vehicles and at filling stations by monitoring benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes with the use of semipermeable devices

BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) were used as target molecules to evaluate the quality of air inside motor vehicles and near filling stations, using semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as low-cost passive sampling devices. A direct, fast, simple methodology based on the use of headspace-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection (HS-GC-MS) was developed for BTEX determinations, without any sample pre-treatment. SPMDs (25.4 cm2 surface, filled with 100 microL triolein) were employed as static samplers. After the selected deployment time, the SPMDs were heated inside a HS vial at 150 degrees C for 20 min and BTEX compounds were determined by GC-MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode in less than 12 min. The proposed method provides limits of detection of less than 1 ng SPMD(-1) for all compounds studied; which is equivalent to 0.3-8 ng m(-3) in air for a deployment time of 24 h, and to 9-200 microg m(-3) for 10 min time, as a function of the compound considered. Using sampling times of around 24 h, concentrations from 0.2 to 145 microg m(-3) were measured inside motor vehicles. For exposure times from 2 to 40 min, concentrations of BTEX ranging from 0.03 to 79 mg m(-3) were measured at filling stations, especially during refueling of vehicles with gasoline.

Occupational and indoor air exposure to persistent organic pollutants: a review of passive sampling techniques and needs

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and related compounds such as PCBs, brominated flame retardants, organochlorine pesticides and PAHs is regarded as an important environmental risk factor for humans. Recently concerns about POPs resulted in the international protocol called the Stockholm Convention on POPs. Air quality standards (indoor, outdoor and occupational) for PAHs and other POPs will also be applied in the EU in the future. This will bring requirements for monitoring, to check for compliance and to reduce human exposures to POPs. This can occur from point sources and in various microenvironments, indoors, outdoors and in workplaces. Monitoring can be undertaken either by an active (pumped) method or using a passive (diffusive) air sampling (PAS) device. To date, PAS for POPs have mainly been used as integrating (long-term) samplers for ambient (outdoor) air. However, there are several reasons to develop PAS for monitoring of POPs in occupational and indoor environments. We discuss the potential advantages, limitations and developments needed, so that PAS can be used reliably and routinely indoors and in occupational settings for POPs.

Comparison of active and passive sampling for the determination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in sewage treatment plants

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and conventional active sampling methods were used for the sampling of wastewater from the wastewater treatment plant of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. The occurrence of 22 POPs was shown by both sampling methods. The most abundant compounds were heptachlor-exo-epoxide and PCBs-52; -101 and -180. Concentrations of POPs detected by active sampling and those estimated by the SPMDs matched very well in some cases, but significant mismatches were also observed. Regression analysis of the results detected by both methods showed moderate correlations. The highest uptake rate of hydrophobic compounds by SPMDs was observed for analytes with log K(OW) between 5.5 and 6.0. Our data suggest that active and passive sampling are complimentary, and that at least for the outflow of a WWTP, SPMDs could be used for the routine monitoring of compounds that are listed at the Water Framework Directive of the European Commissions.

Behaviour of semipermeable membrane devices in neutral pesticide uptake from waters

The application of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) has been evaluated as a passive sampler for the collection of multiresidue pesticides in continental waters. Seven chlorinated, five organophosphorus, six carbamate, nine pyrethroid and ten other pesticides were tested in order to estimate which compounds can be retained with these devices. The effect of water parameters, such as temperature, pH, ionic strength and organic matter content, were evaluated for their effect on the retention of the pesticides by the SPMDs. Studies of uptake from water were performed in a glass beaker containing 2 L distilled water spiked with 50 ng L-1 of each pesticide investigated. A SPMD was put in the beaker, under turbulent conditions, and analysed after 2 days' extraction. The contents of each SPMD were microwave-assisted-extracted twice with 30 mL hexane-acetone, to 90 degrees C for 10 min, and this was followed by a cleanup based on acetonitrile partitioning and solid-phase extraction. Gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection was employed for determination of pesticides, and provided low limits of detection from 0.5 to 7 ng per SPMD. Higher absorption rates were observed for pyrethroid, organophosphorus and chlorinated compounds than for carbamates. Pesticide uptake rates were independent of the water composition and decreased at low temperature.