Preliminary validation studies on ACF passive sampler for PCDD/Fs and PCBs in water

Hydrophobic pollutants as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) have frequently been identified in several matrices of aquatic ecosystems. The knowledge of the actual concentrations of these pollutants is essential for integrated water quality management. Due to their very low, but toxicologically relevant levels in natural waters, direct determination of their concentrations is difficult with common analytical techniques. Several passive samplers such as polyoxymethylene strips, silicone rubber, low density polyethylene (LDPE), and semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) have been commonly used in monitoring of organic compounds in aquatic environment. Nowadays, ACFs are widely used in different sectors for their adsorptive capacity in pollutants abatement systems. Thanks to their large specific surface area (SSA) and porosity evenly distributed on the surface, ACFs have a reversible mass transfer (adsorption/desorption). MoroverMoreover, the material is lightweight (low density per m2), it is wrapped in different textiles (easy to handle) and it is fireproof. In this paper, preliminary validation studies for a passive sampler based on activated carbon fiber (ACF) for organic chlorinated pollutants in water are presented. The ACF passive sampler in water is assessed using efficiency required in EPA 1613B and EPA 1668B standard methods