title: Performance optimisation of a passive sampler for monitoring hydrophobic organic pollutants in water.
abstract: The performance of an integrative passive sampler that consists of a C18 Empore disk sorbent receiving phase fitted with low density polyethylene membrane was optimised for the measurement of time-weighted average concentrations of hydrophobic micropollutants in water. A substantial improvement of sampling characteristics including the rate of sampling and the sampling precision was achieved by decreasing the internal sampler resistance to mass transfer of hydrophobic organic chemicals. This was achieved by adding a small volume of n-octanol, a solvent with high permeability (solubility [times] diffusivity) for target analytes, to the interstial space between the receiving sorbent phase and the polyethylene diffusion-limiting membrane.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, UK. bran.vrana@port.ac.uk
authors.forename: Branislav
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vrana
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knutsson
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morrison
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D004058:Diffusion; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D010539:Permeability; D020959:Polyethylene / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D013997:Time Factors; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014873:Water Pollutants; D020959:Polyethylene