Performance optimisation of a passive sampler for monitoring hydrophobic organic pollutants in water.
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.
Vrana
Branislav
B
School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, UK. bran.vrana@port.ac.uk
Mills
Graham
G
Greenwood
Richard
R
Knutsson
Jesper
J
Svensson
Katarina
K
Morrison
Gregory
G
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*
D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014873:Water Pollutants; D020959:Polyethylene