Development and Calibration of a Passive Sampler for Perfluorinated Alkyl Carboxylates and Sulfonates in Water

Abstract

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are emerging environmental contaminants with a global distribution. Due to their moderate water solubility, the majority of the environmental burden is assumed to be in the water phase. This work describes the application of the first passive sampler for the quantitative assessment of concentrations of perfluorinated alkylcarboxylates (PFCAs) and sulfonates (PFSAs) in water. The sampler is based on a modified Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS) with a weak anion exchange sorbent as a receiving phase. Sampling rates were between 0.16 and 0.37 L d^–1, and the duration of the kinetic sampling stage was between 2.2 and 13 d. A field deployment in the most urbanized estuary in Australia (Sydney Harbour) showed trace level concentrations from passive samplers (0.1–12 ng L^–1), in good agreement with parallel grab sampling (0.2–16 ng L^–1). A separate field comparison of the modified POCIS with standard POCIS suggests the latter may have application for PFC sampling, but with a more limited range of analytes than the modified POCIS which contains a sorbent with a mixed mode of action.