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Journal of Chromatography. A Aug 2022Passive sampling of emerging contaminants (ECs) in seawater represents a challenge in environmental monitoring. A specific protocol for Polar Organic Chemical...
An optimized processing method for polar organic chemical integrative samplers deployed in seawater: Toward a maximization of the analysis accuracy for trace emerging contaminants.
Passive sampling of emerging contaminants (ECs) in seawater represents a challenge in environmental monitoring. A specific protocol for Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS) processing may be necessary when dealing with marine applications, due to the peculiarity of the considered matrix. Herein, both the instrumental LC-MS/MS analysis and the sampler processing for the determination of 22 ECs in seawater were carefully optimized. The study entailed a test simulating POCIS sorbent exposure to seawater as well as the processing of replicated field POCIS with different elution solvents. The final method involved washing the sorbent with water, to eliminate most salts, and a two-step elution, by using methanol and a small volume of a dichloromethane-isopropanol mixture. With this protocol, recoveries between 58 and 137% (average 106%) were obtained for most analytes, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, UV-filters, perfluorinated substances and caffeine. Still, the protocol was not suitable for very hydrophilic compounds (recovery under 20% for artificial sweeteners and the pharmaceutical salbutamol), which also showed remarkable ion suppression (matrix effects in the range 4-46%). For all other chemicals, the matrix effects were in the range 67-103% (average 86%), indicating satisfactory accuracy. Also, the overall method showed high sensitivity (detection limits in the range 0.04-9 ng g of POCIS sorbent) and excellent specificity, thanks to the monitoring of two "precursor ion-product ion" MS transitions for identity confirmation. The method was applied to samplers deployed in the Ligurian coast (Italy), detecting caffeine, bisphenol A, ketoprofen and two UV-filters as the most concentrated in the POCIS sorbent.
Topics: Caffeine; Chromatography, Liquid; Environmental Monitoring; Organic Chemicals; Seawater; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 35853423
DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463309 -
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Jul 2020Neonicotinoid pesticides are highly hydrophilic systemic insecticides that have been extensively used worldwide. To evaluate their environmental risks, the...
Neonicotinoid pesticides are highly hydrophilic systemic insecticides that have been extensively used worldwide. To evaluate their environmental risks, the concentrations of these pesticides in the aquatic environment must be monitored. Although the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) has proved to be a suitable passive sampler for many highly hydrophilic compounds, Oasis HLB (Waters) POCIS has shown limitations for the monitoring of neonicotinoid pesticides, such as short linear uptake ranges. In the present study we optimized POCIS for neonicotinoid pesticides by selecting suitable adsorbents and filters. The ENVI-Carb (Supelco) nonporous carbon-based adsorbent demonstrated a good balance between strong sorption and high recovery. Static renewal experiments showed that the our POCIS device using ENVI-Carb with a polyethersulfone membrane filter had a 3 d (dinotefuran) to 28 d (clothianidin, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and thiacloprid) linear range, which is longer than that of HLB POCIS (≤1 [dinotefuran] to 14 d). The POCIS using ENVI-Carb with a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane had higher sampling rates (0.270 L/d [clothianidin] to 0.686 [imidacloprid] L/d) than those of the HLB POCIS for short-term deployment. The time-weighted average concentrations in actual river water measured by the new POCIS were in good agreement with those obtained by repeated grab sampling, within 30%. Moreover, POCIS detected 2 neonicotinoid pesticides that were not detected by grab sampling. Thus, the proposed POCIS is a promising tool for the monitoring of neonicotinoid pesticides. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1325-1333. © 2020 SETAC.
Topics: Adsorption; Calibration; Environmental Monitoring; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Neonicotinoids; Organic Chemicals; Permeability; Pesticides; Polymers; Polytetrafluoroethylene; Rivers; Sulfones; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 32348590
DOI: 10.1002/etc.4729 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... 2014
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Organic Chemicals; Polymers; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 24833188
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-2663-8 -
Environment International Nov 2011Due to human activities to a greater extent and natural processes to some extent, a large number of organic chemical substances such as petroleum hydrocarbons,... (Review)
Review
Due to human activities to a greater extent and natural processes to some extent, a large number of organic chemical substances such as petroleum hydrocarbons, halogenated and nitroaromatic compounds, phthalate esters, solvents and pesticides pollute the soil and aquatic environments. Remediation of these polluted sites following the conventional engineering approaches based on physicochemical methods is both technically and economically challenging. Bioremediation that involves the capabilities of microorganisms in the removal of pollutants is the most promising, relatively efficient and cost-effective technology. However, the current bioremediation approaches suffer from a number of limitations which include the poor capabilities of microbial communities in the field, lesser bioavailability of contaminants on spatial and temporal scales, and absence of bench-mark values for efficacy testing of bioremediation for their widespread application in the field. The restoration of all natural functions of some polluted soils remains impractical and, hence, the application of the principle of function-directed remediation may be sufficient to minimize the risks of persistence and spreading of pollutants. This review selectively examines and provides a critical view on the knowledge gaps and limitations in field application strategies, approaches such as composting, electrobioremediation and microbe-assisted phytoremediation, and the use of probes and assays for monitoring and testing the efficacy of bioremediation of polluted sites.
Topics: Biodegradation, Environmental; Environmental Pollution; Organic Chemicals; Pesticides; Petroleum; Soil Microbiology; Soil Pollutants
PubMed: 21722961
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2011.06.003 -
Chimia 2012
Topics: Free Radicals; Organic Chemicals; Polymerization; Surface Properties
PubMed: 22871274
DOI: No ID Found -
Environmental Science & Technology Dec 2023The chemical industry is a major and growing source of CO emissions. Here, we extend the principal U.S.-based integrated assessment model, GCAM, to include a...
The chemical industry is a major and growing source of CO emissions. Here, we extend the principal U.S.-based integrated assessment model, GCAM, to include a representation of steam cracking, the dominant process in the organic chemical industry today, and a suite of emerging decarbonization strategies, including catalytic cracking, lower-carbon process heat, and feedstock switching. We find that emerging catalytic production technologies only have a small impact on midcentury emissions mitigation. In contrast, process heat generation could achieve strong mitigation, reducing associated CO emissions by ∼76% by 2050. Process heat generation is diversified to include carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen, and electrification. A sensitivity analysis reveals that our results for future net CO emissions are most sensitive to the amount of CCS deployed globally. The system as defined cannot reach net-zero emissions if the share of incineration increases as projected without coupling incineration with CCS. Less organic chemicals are produced in a net-zero CO future than those in a no-policy scenario. Mitigation of feedstock emissions relies heavily on biogenic carbon used as an alternative feedstock and waste treatment of plastics. The only scenario that delivers net-negative CO emissions from the organic chemical sector (by 2070) combines greater use of biogenic feedstocks with a continued reliance on landfilling of waste plastic, versus recycling or incineration, which has trade-offs.
Topics: Carbon Dioxide; Incineration; Industry; Organic Chemicals; Carbon; Plastics
PubMed: 38016278
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05202 -
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Apr 2017The objective of the present study was to review the current knowledge regarding the bioaccumulation potential of ionizable organic compounds (IOCs), with a focus on the... (Review)
Review
The objective of the present study was to review the current knowledge regarding the bioaccumulation potential of ionizable organic compounds (IOCs), with a focus on the availability of empirical data for fish. Aspects of the bioaccumulation potential of IOCs in fish that can be characterized relatively well include the pH dependence of gill uptake and elimination, uptake in the gut, and sorption to phospholipids (membrane-water partitioning). Key challenges include the lack of empirical data for biotransformation and binding in plasma. Fish possess a diverse array of proteins that may transport IOCs across cell membranes. Except in a few cases, however, the significance of this transport for uptake and accumulation of environmental contaminants is unknown. Two case studies are presented. The first describes modeled effects of pH and biotransformation on the bioconcentration of organic acids and bases, while the second employs an updated model to investigate factors responsible for accumulation of perfluorinated alkyl acids. The perfluorinated alkyl acid case study is notable insofar as it illustrates the likely importance of membrane transporters in the kidney and highlights the potential value of read-across approaches. Recognizing the current need to perform bioaccumulation hazard assessments and ecological and exposure risk assessment for IOCs, the authors provide a tiered strategy that progresses (as needed) from conservative assumptions (models and associated data) to more sophisticated models requiring chemical-specific information. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:882-897. © 2016 SETAC.
Topics: Animals; Biotransformation; Fishes; Gills; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Models, Biological; Organic Chemicals; Research; Risk Assessment; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 27992066
DOI: 10.1002/etc.3680 -
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2014
Topics: Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Organic Chemicals; Stereoisomerism
PubMed: 24758436
DOI: 10.2174/1568026614666140423094623 -
Molecular Diversity Feb 2009
Topics: Algorithms; Chemistry, Organic; Organic Chemicals; Software; Thermodynamics
PubMed: 19137407
DOI: 10.1007/s11030-008-9106-8 -
Water Science and Technology : a... 2012Emerging wastewater treatment processes such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have attracted a significant amount of interest internationally due to their ability to...
Emerging wastewater treatment processes such as membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have attracted a significant amount of interest internationally due to their ability to produce high quality effluent suitable for water recycling. It is therefore important that their efficiency in removing hazardous trace organic contaminants be assessed. Accordingly, this study investigated the removal of trace organic chemical contaminants through a full-scale, package MBR in New South Wales, Australia. This study was unique in the context of MBR research because it characterised the removal of 48 trace organic chemical contaminants, which included steroidal hormones, xenoestrogens, pesticides, caffeine, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Results showed that the removal of most trace organic chemical contaminants through the MBR was high (above 90%). However, amitriptyline, carbamazepine, diazepam, diclofenac, fluoxetine, gemfibrozil, omeprazole, sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim were only partially removed through the MBR with the removal efficiencies of 24-68%. These are potential indicators for assessing MBR performance as these chemicals are usually sensitive to changes in the treatment systems. The trace organic chemical contaminants detected in the MBR permeate were 1 to 6 orders of magnitude lower than guideline values reported in the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling. The outcomes of this study enhanced our understanding of the levels and removal of trace organic contaminants by MBRs.
Topics: Amitriptyline; Bioreactors; Carbamazepine; Diazepam; Diclofenac; Fluoxetine; Gemfibrozil; Omeprazole; Organic Chemicals; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Sulfamethoxazole; Trimethoprim; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 22925856
DOI: 10.2166/wst.2012.374