1.15 - Passive Sampling for Inorganic Contaminants in Water

Abstract

The current state of the art in passive sampling technology for environmental monitoring of inorganic pollutants (e.g., trace elements and nutrients) in aqueous matrices is discussed. Since they were invented almost four decades ago for monitoring air quality, passive dosimeters have found widespread use in monitoring organic and inorganic contaminants in air, water, sediments, and soils. This chapter describes major evolutionary milestones in passive sampling technology and focuses on its application for unique monitoring of inorganic pollutants in aqueous environments. An overview of sampling theory is provided, strategies for sampler design are examined, and calibration schemes are discussed. Passive sampling approaches using biosamplers and intrinsic advantages and challenges are discussed. A description of the most important passive sampling devices, with special attention to diffusive gradient in thin films, is followed by applications for group and individual speciation. The chapter concludes with a discussion on field study considerations, speciation, and future trends.