Passive equilibrium sampler for in situ measurements of freely dissolved concentrations of hydrophobic organic chemicals in sediments.

In this study, an equilibrium passive sampling device is introduced that facilitates the in situ measurement of hydrophobic organic chemicals bioavailability in sediments in terms of freely dissolved concentrations. The new field sampler allows SPME fibers and silicone hollow fibers to be immersed and equilibrated in situ, whereas an automated liner exchanger (ALEX) facilitates the quantitative transfer of analytes to the GC without the use of extraction solvents. The sampler was developed for environmental monitoring as follows: (1) It is of very solid construction and can be reused practically ad infinitum. (2) Fibers with varying surface to volume ratios can be exposed in parallel in order to confirm that equilibrium was reached between sampler and sediment. (3) The equilibrium times allow a temporal resolution that is suited for monitoring of both long-term trends and seasonal effects. The automated thermal desorption reduced sample treatment to a minimum and ensured cost- and time-efficient measurements while minimizing potential error sources after the sampling. The sampler is applicable in a multitude of aquatic environments, especially where currents are low and sediments are muddy and well-mixed, e.g. by bioturbation. Examples for such environments are mud flats, harbor basins, river banks, and lakes.