Uptake rates of alkylphenols, PAHs and carbazoles in semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) Original Research Article

Passive sampling devices provide a useful contribution to the monitoring of contaminants in the aquatic environment. However, calibration data needed for the calculation of water concentrations from sampler accumulations are restricted to a limited number of compound classes. Thus uptake of a range of alkylated phenols (AP), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and carbazoles was determined for semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) using a flow through exposure system. Sampling rates ranged from 0.02 to 0.26 l d−1 for POCIS and 0.02 to 13.83 l d−1 for SPMDs. Observed SPMD uptake was also compared to that predicted by an empirical model including the use of performance reference compounds (PRCs). Predicted sampling rates did not differ by more than a factor of 1.3 from experimental values for PAH, providing further evidence that the PRC approach can be successfully used to determine in situ sampling rates for these compounds. Experimental sampling rates for AP in SPMDs were, however, much lower than predicted. This discrepancy was too large to be explained by small uncertainties in the calibration system or in the calculations. Based on these data we conclude that while hydrophobic AP are accumulated by SPMDs their partitioning cannot be predicted from their log Kow using current methods. Due to this lower than expected uptake, sampling rates were only higher in SPMDs than POCIS in the range of log Kow > 5.0. Simultaneous deployment of both sampler types allows the study of compounds with a broad range of physicochemical properties.