Passive sampling devices

Yuska DE, Skelly JM, Ferdinand JA, Stevenson RE, Savage JE, Mulik JD, Etines A. 2003. Use of bioindicators and passive sampling devices to evaluate ambient ozone concentrations in north central Pennsylvania. Environ Pollut 125 71-80. 

Greenwoord R (2007). Passive sampling devices for advanced monitoring of pollutants. In Proceedings of the RISKBASE 1st Thematic Workshop, Lisbon, pp 101-103... 

Coutant, R.W. Lewis, R.G. MuUk, J. 1985, Passive sampling devices with reversible adsorption. Anal. Chem. 57 219-223. 

Johnson, K.A. Naddy, R.B. Weisskopf, C.P. 1995, Passive sampling devices for rapid determination of soil contaminant distributions. Toxicol. Environ. Chem. 51 31 4. 

Zabik, J.M. Aston, L.S. Seiber, J.N. 1992, Rapid characterization of pesticide residues in contaminated soils by passive sampling devices. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 11 765-770. 

If the aim of an investigator is to determine equilibrium concentrations in samplers, then the residence time (tm) is a logical parameter to compare among samplers. The tm is the mean length of time that a molecule spends in a passive sampling device, where solute exchange follows first-order kinetics. Residence time is given by... 

Ambient air samples are collected on adsorbents such as Tenax (Wallace 1987), or multisorbent (Heavner et al. 1992 Oliver et al. 1996), or in passivated canisters (EPA 1988a). Tenax traps are thermally desorbed, concentrated cryogenically, and analyzed by capillary GC/MS (Wallace et al. 1987). Recovery is good (81-110%), precision for side-by-side samples is acceptable (9-45% RSD), and the detection limit is 1 g/m (Wallace 1987). Multisorbent traps may be solvent desorbed and analyzed by capillary GC/MS. Recovery and precision are good and detection limits as low as 0.019 ppb have been reported (Oliver et al. 1996). Collection of air samples in passivated stainless steel canisters is also widely utilized (EPA 1988a), but performance data are unavailable. Passive sampling devices are also widely used, due in part to their ease of use and small size (Lewis et al. 1985). 

Lewis RG, Mulik JD, Coutant RW, et al. 1985. Thermally desorbable passive sampling device for volatile organic chemicals in ambient air. Anal Chem 57 214-219. 

The development of a passive sampling device designed for this application is based on Palmes (3) work as given below. 

FIGURE 3.1 Concentration profiles in a passive sampling device. The driving force of accumulation is the difference in chemical potentials of the analyte between the bulk water and the sorption phase. The mass transfer of an analyte is governed by the overall resistance along the whole diffusional path, including contributions from the individual barriers (e.g., aqueous boundary layer, biofilm layer, and membrane). 

The theory of equilibrium passive sampling devices has been published by Mayer et al.15 The basic requirements of the equilibrium sampling approach are that equilibrium concentrations are... 

FIGURE 3.2 Passive sampling devices operate in two main regimes kinetic and equilibrium. 

The substance-specific kinetic constants, kx and k2, and partition coefficient Ksw (see Equations 3.1 and 3.2) can be determined in two ways. In theory, kinetic parameters characterizing the uptake of analytes can be estimated using semiempirical correlations employing mass transfer coefficients, physicochemical properties (mainly diffusivities and permeabilities in various media), and hydro-dynamic parameters.38 39 However, because of the complexity of the flow of water around passive sampling devices (usually nonstreamlined objects) during field exposures, it is difficult to estimate uptake parameters from first principles. In most cases, laboratory experiments are needed for the calibration of both equilibrium and kinetic samplers. 

Overview of Different Passive Sampling Devices Used for Monitoring Pollutants in Water... 

Passive sampling devices have been used to measure a number of organometallic species, including those of lead, mercury, and tin. Fplsvik et al.93,94 and Harman et al.95 reported the use of SPMDs for... 

Stephens, S. and J.F. Muller. 2007. Techniques for quantitatively evaluating aquatic passive sampling devices. In R. Greenwood, G.A. Mills, and B. Vrana (eds), Passive Sampling Techniques in Environmental Monitoring, pp. 329-349. Amsterdam Elsevier. 

Mills, G. A., B. Vrana, I. Allan, D.A. Alvarez, J.N. Huckins, and R. Greenwood. 2007. Trends in monitoring pharmaceuticals and personal-care products in the aquatic environment by use of passive sampling devices. Anal. Bioanal. Ghent. 387 1153-1157. 

Bopp, S., H. Weiss, and K. Schirmer. 2005. Time-integrated monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in groundwater using the ceramic dosimeter passive sampling device. J. Chromatogr. A 1072 137-147. 

Booij, K., Vrana, B. and Huckins, J.N., 2007. Theory, modelling and calibration of passive sampling devices in water monitoring. In Greenwood, R., Mills, G.A. and Vrana, B. (eds), Passive Sampling Techniques in Environmental Monitoring. Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry Series, Barcelo, D (series ed.), Elsevier, Amsterdam, 141-64. 

Monitoring Heavy Metals Using Passive Sampling Devices... 

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