Solid phase microextraction as a tool to predict internal concentrations of soil contaminants in terrestrial organisms after exposure to a laboratory standard soil

Uptake and accumulation of three chlorobenzenes was studied in both biota (Enchytraeus crypticus) and 30 μm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) solid phase microextraction (SPME) fibers after exposure to spiked OECD soil. The OECD soil was spiked with three different concentrations of all contaminants. Uptake of all three chlorobenzenes in E. crypticus was fast and steady state levels were reached within 2–4 days. Also in the PDMS-SPME fibers uptake was very fast for all three compounds, with steady state levels reached after 1 day. Comparison of steady state levels in biota and in the PDMS-SPME fibers showed a relationship which was consistent over the range of concentrations of chlorobenzenes in soil and the difference in logKow. This shows that measuring the concentrations of hydrophobic chemicals in a hydrophobic phase such as PDMS can be used as a simple tool to estimate internal concentrations of these chemicals in biota exposed to complex matrices such as soil.