Detection of emerging contaminants in remote and anthropized environments using passive sampling techniques

The PhD project was focused on the development of passive sampling techniques for the detection of Emerging organic Contaminants (ECs) in water matrices. In 2004, the Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS) was introduced and became one of the most powerful devices for the detection of mid-polar and polar ECs in water. POCIS consists of a receiving phase sandwiched between two protective polyethersulfone membranes (PES). Although the accumulation of several ECs onto the PES layer has been observed, a comprehensive assessment of the relationship between the sorption and the physico-chemical properties of organic compounds is missing. Initially, the research focused on the use of PES membranes as single-phase passive samplers for ECs that showed previously a good retention by the PES membrane of POCIS. Laboratory calibration experiments were carried out to assess the affinity of the ECs for the sampler, the impact of the flow rate on the accumulation and the linearity of the uptake during the exposure time. A field application in S. Margherita Ligure harbour was also performed to test the sampler under environmental conditions. To deeply understand the sorption mechanism, the influence of the manufacturing of PES on the sorption capacity and the affinity for PES of a larger number of compounds with different polarities were evaluated. The effect of the presence of PES in the POCIS uptake of different ECs was studied under several environmental conditions through the deployment in different sites (harbour and offshore waters, seawater and wastewater, anthropized or remote environments). Considering the growing awareness on the use of greener approaches in analytical chemistry, the ability of PES membrane to sorb ECs was also compared to the sorption performance of a home-made biobased porous polymeric film. Finally, different sorbents were tested to assess their ability to adsorb nitramines for the future development of a hydrogel based passive sampler for the detection of these contaminants in freshwater.