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Evaluation of performance reference compounds (PRCs) to monitor emerging polar contaminants by polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) in rivers

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Abstract

In this work, a method combining polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was assessed for the determination of two corrosion inhibitors (benzotriazole and methylbenzotriazole), seven pesticides (atrazine, diuron, isoproturon, linuron, metolachlor, penconazole, terbuthylazine), and four pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diclofenac, metformin, sulfamethoxazole) in river water. As a first step, two POCIS sorbents, hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) and Strata X-CW, were compared. The comparison of the uptake profiles of the studied compounds showed that the HLB sorbent provides better uptake (higher sampled amount and better linearity) than Strata X-CW except for the basic compound metformin. Since the sampling rate (R s) of POCIS depends on environmental factors, seven compounds were evaluated as potential performance reference compounds (PRCs) through kinetic experiments. Deisopropylatrazine-d5 (DIA-d5) and, as far as we know, for the first time 4-methylbenzotriazole-d3 showed suitable desorption. The efficiency of both compounds to correct for the effect of water velocity was shown using a channel system in which POCIS were exposed to 2 and 50 cm s−1. Finally, POCIS were deployed upstream and downstream of agricultural wine-growing and tree-growing areas in the Lienne River and the Uvrier Canal (Switzerland). The impact of the studied areas on both streams could be demonstrated.

Photos of POCIS in the channel system (left, top), a POCIS in the cage (left, middle) and in the channel (left, bottom) and desorption kinetics (right, top) of PRCs (DIA-d5 and 4-methylbenzotriazol-d3) and estimated concentrations for methylbenzotriazol in the real river using DIA-d5 or 4-methylbenzotriazold3 as PRC (right, bottom)

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Environmental Protection Office of Canton Valais (Switzerland) for its support and M. Bernard (Head of Water Protection Section) for his confidence. They also thank P. Esseiva and O. Delémont (School of Criminal Sciences) for their support. I. Carpinteiro is thankful for her Swiss Government Excellence Postdoctoral Scholarship. They also acknowledge B. Guiboud, J. Omlin, and F. Genilloud for their contribution to the practical work.

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  1. Inmaculada Carpinteiro

    Present address: Departamento de Química Analítica, Nutrición y Bromatología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentario (IIAA), Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Environmental Laboratory, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL/ENAC/IIE/GR-CEL, Bâtiment GR, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Inmaculada Carpinteiro, Camille Fong, Dominique Grandjean & Luiz F. de Alencastro

  2. School of Criminal Sciences, University of Lausanne, Batochime, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Adrien Schopfer & Nicolas Estoppey

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  1. Inmaculada Carpinteiro
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Carpinteiro, I., Schopfer, A., Estoppey, N. et al. Evaluation of performance reference compounds (PRCs) to monitor emerging polar contaminants by polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) in rivers. Anal Bioanal Chem 408, 1067–1078 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-015-9199-8

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