Abstract
Legislation addressing the quality of groundwater and increasing concerns over public health calls for the development of analytical methods that can produce accurate and precise results at the ppt level. Passive sampling has been recognised as a helpful tool in identifying various organic pollutants in groundwater, even when their presence had not yet been identified through conventional groundwater quality monitoring. The article presents an analytical method involving a simple and cost-effective passive sampling device using Zorflex® activated carbon fibres (ACFs) for the qualitative monitoring of a broad range of organic pollutants in water in a single run. The applicability of the method developed was tested in three hydrogeological studies. In the first case, we present a non-targeted qualitative screening and a list of 892 different contaminants detected in the groundwater in Slovenia. In the second case, we discuss the presence and origin of organic compounds in the groundwater from a pilot area of the urban aquifer, Ljubljansko polje. The third case presents a comparison of results between passive and grab sampling. Passive sampling with ACFs confirmed the presence of a pollutant, even when it had not been previously detected through a quantitative method.
Highlights
The strict EU legislation on groundwater has pushed analytical methods to new frontiers [1,2]
In contrast to traditional organic pollutants, such as pesticides, aromatics, and halogenated solvents, recent research has focused on the detection of pharmaceuticals and other persistent chemicals in the environment [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18]
A broad range of organic compounds with very diverse physicochemical properties should be analysed using techniques that approach the limit of detection (LOD), to determine well-defined contamination clouds, and to obtain a clear picture of pollution at very low concentrations, or even before the first relevant signs of pollution appear
Summary
The strict EU legislation on groundwater has pushed analytical methods to new frontiers [1,2]. The main aim of this study was to develop a method for the single-shot detection of a broad range of organic compounds in relatively clean natural waters in the simplest and most cost-effective way possible. Organic compounds, identified as one of the emerging pollutant groups in groundwater, are widely used in a range of human practices and activities. Their number is further increased by several million metabolites and degradation products of the parent compounds. Determining their concentration in groundwater is not practical or even feasible. The financial framework for such analytical techniques should remain reasonably cost-effective
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