Volatile organic compounds in water and sediment from the Morava and the Danube Rivers (Slovakia) using purge and trap injection and gas chromatography

Abstract

Purge and trap injector (PTI) with high resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) was used to determine the concentration levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water and sediments from the Morava and the Danube Rivers. Thus the average concentrations of volatile n-alkanes (C6-C13) in water and sediments were found to be 0.02—1.33 μg/l and 0.04–105 μg/kg wet weight respectively. While the average concentrations of volatile aromatics in water and sediments were found to be 0.07–3.62 μg/l and 0.08–290 μg/kg wet weight respectively. In general different concentration levels were found at different locations, and at different time periods. With PTI-HRGC small sample size (5–20 ml) of water and (10–20 g) of sediments were used to analyse the VOCs in a simple, rapid method, with low background contamination since the system is completely closed. Relatively higher concentrations of VOCs were found in water and sediment samples from the Morava in comparison with those from the Danube, and higher concentration levels were found in spring time than in summer time.