A miniaturized passive sampling-based workflow for monitoring chemicals of emerging concern in water
File(s)A Richardson STOTEN 839 (2022)156260 - 3DPSD.pdf (1.95 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The miniaturization of a full workflow for identification and monitoring of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) is presented. Firstly, successful development of a low-cost small 3D-printed passive sampler device (3D-PSD), based on a two-piece methacrylate housing that held up to five separate 9 mm disk sorbents, is discussed. Secondly, a highly sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method reduced the need for large scale in-laboratory apparatus, solvent, reagents and reference material quantities for in-laboratory passive sampler device (PSD) calibration and extraction. Using hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced sorbents, sampling rates (Rs) were determined after a low 50 ng L−1 exposure over seven days for 39 pesticides, pharmaceuticals, drug metabolites and illicit drugs over the range 0.3 to 12.3 mL day−1. The high sensitivity LC-MS/MS method enabled rapid analysis of river water using only 10 μL of directly injected sample filtrate to measure occurrence of 164 CECs and sources along 19 sites on the River Wandle, (London, UK). The new 3D-PSD was then field-tested over seven days at the site with the highest number and concentration of CECs, which was down-river from a wastewater treatment plant. Almost double the number of CECs were identified in 3D-PSD extracts across sites in comparison to water samples (80 versus 42 CECs, respectively). Time-weighted average CEC concentrations ranged from 8.2 to 845 ng L−1, which were generally comparable to measured concentrations in grab samples. Lastly, high resolution mass spectrometry-based suspect screening of 3D-PSD extracts enabled 113 additional compounds to be tentatively identified via library matching, many of which are currently or are under consideration for the EU Watch List. This miniaturized workflow represents a new, cost-effective, and more practically efficient means to perform passive sampling chemical monitoring at a large scale.
Date Issued
2022-09
Date Acceptance
2022-05-23
Citation
Science of The Total Environment, 2022, 839, pp.156260-156260
ISSN
0048-9697
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
156260
End Page
156260
Journal / Book Title
Science of The Total Environment
Volume
839
Copyright Statement
© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
License URL
Sponsor
National Institute for Health Research
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969722033575?via%3Dihub
Grant Number
NIHR200922
Subjects
Environmental Sciences
Publication Status
Published online
Article Number
156260