Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > Monitoring Organic Pollutants in Waters Using t...

Links

Text available via DOI:

View graph of relations

Monitoring Organic Pollutants in Waters Using the Diffusive Gradients in the Thin Films Technique: Investigations on the Effects of Biofouling and Degradation

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published
<mark>Journal publication date</mark>7/07/2020
<mark>Journal</mark>Environmental Science and Technology
Issue number13
Volume54
Number of pages9
Pages (from-to)7961-7969
Publication StatusPublished
Early online date25/05/20
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Abstract

The diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) passive sampling technique has been increasingly used to provide time-weighted average concentrations of the biorelevant fraction of organic contaminants in waters, with high spatial and temporal resolutions at low cost. This study was tested for the effects of biofouling and compound degradation/loss during sample handling/storage on the DGT measurement of a range of emerging organic pollutants. Biofouling was tested using biofilms collected from the influent and effluent of a typical urban wastewater treatment plant. Most (85%) target compounds showed no detectable effect on the DGT measurement when 8- and 15-day biofouled membrane filters were used. Four storage methods were designed to test for within-sampler degradation/loss for up to 2 months. Intact samplers can be simply stored in polyethylene bags at ambient temperature (18-26 °C) with most compounds stable (mass loss