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Passive Sampling for Determination of the Dissolved Concentrations and Chemical Activities of Organic Contaminants in Soil and Sediment Pore Waters

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Bioavailability of Organic Chemicals in Soil and Sediment

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 100))

Abstract

The freely dissolved concentrations of organic contaminants in soil and sediment pore waters are relevant for the wide range of fate processes where compound bioavailability plays a role but also for several abiotic processes. However, determining these is challenging due to their low levels and sorption to dissolved organic matter. Here, passive sampling can play a role and involves bringing an inert polymer into direct contact with the soil or sediment matrix such that the dissolved contaminant molecules partition into the polymer until a partitioning equilibrium is reached. Passive sampling has been applied to determine the freely dissolved concentrations of a range of mainly neutral organic contaminants in soils and sediments. For this, a range of formats using different polymers and architectures have been developed, some targeted towards equilibrium and others towards kinetic passive sampling. The most common polymers for neutral hydrophobic organics include various silicones, polyethylene and polyoxymethylene. However, for the passive sampling of polar and ionic compounds, different polymers with a higher affinity for these compounds are required. For kinetic sampling, in situ calibration methods are needed to account for variations in the uptake kinetics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Water, Environment, Construction and Safety, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, Magdeburg, Germany

    Kilian E. C. Smith

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  1. Kilian E. C. Smith
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Correspondence to Kilian E. C. Smith .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y AgrobiobiologÚa de Sevilla, CSIC, Seville, Spain

    Jose Julio Ortega-Calvo

  2. Institute for Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    John Robert Parsons

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Smith, K.E.C. (2020). Passive Sampling for Determination of the Dissolved Concentrations and Chemical Activities of Organic Contaminants in Soil and Sediment Pore Waters. In: Ortega-Calvo, J.J., Parsons, J.R. (eds) Bioavailability of Organic Chemicals in Soil and Sediment. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 100. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2020_572

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