Bioavailability-informed sediment assessment in the transboundary Begej Canal: A comparative evaluation of active and passive methods.

Development of HECAM passive samplers for discovering the occurrence, sources, and transport of tire additives and their transformation products in surface waters.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene (PCE) are commonly detected in urban environments with legacy contamination. Pathways of indoor VOC exposure through sewer infrastructure remain underexplored, particularly in the context of rising groundwater driven by seasonal rainfall and climate change in coastal settings. This study investigates how seasonal groundwater fluctuations influence VOC concentrations in sewers in the San Francisco Bay Area at a site characterized by shallow, unconfined groundwater and vulnerable sewer infrastructure in a setting with soil known to be contaminated by TCE/PCE. Passive air sampling was conducted across three time periods: one in the dry season and two during the wet season, defined by precipitation totals and differences in depth to groundwater. 8 samples were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and results indicate significantly elevated concentrations of TCE/PCE in sewer air during wetter conditions, with PCE showing a marginally significant wet season increase (p=0.057). No remarkable detections were observed in corresponding indoor or ambient air samples, suggesting that well-maintained plumbing seals in older buildings are critical for limiting indoor exposure to VOCs from contaminated sewer systems. These findings demonstrate that seasonal hydrological dynamics can influence VOC transport in sewers in coastal settings. With sea-level rise and extreme precipitation events intensifying nationally, similar risks will emerge in other coastal cities with legacy contaminants, aging underground infrastructure, and aging buildings. This study highlights the need for increased investigations of sewer systems as preferential pathways for vapor intrusion where groundwater levels are changing and underscores the importance of integrating hydrological and climatic variables into risk assessments for contaminated coastal environments.

Seasonally different toxicity drivers in a river system revealed by insights from POCIS, bioassays, and suspect screening.

Tracking photoinhibition and failure dynamics in algae under combined exposure to UVB and water-accommodated oil fractions.

In situ evaluation of an active-passive sampling (APS) technique for monitoring psychoactive compounds in effluent wastewater.

Comparative effectiveness of PDMS passive sampling versus Tenax-TA extraction for assessing bioavailable SVOCs in soils and their bioaccumulation in rice grains.

Essential oil diffusers containing monoterpenes such as limonene, α-pinene, and β-pinene are widely used indoors, yet their impact on indoor air quality remains insufficiently understood. This study investigated the time-dependent emission behavior of monoterpenes from a commercial essential oil diffuser and assessed indoor exposure using a wearable passive sampling approach. The diffuser was operated in an office environment for two weeks, and terpene concentrations were measured with a pre-developed passive sampler. Emission rates were highest immediately after initial deployment and gradually declined over time. Limonene exhibited the highest emission rate, followed by β-pinene and α-pinene, reflecting their relative composition in the product. Within the first 2 h of operation, indoor concentrations increased from background levels of 1.8, 0.17, and 0.12 μg m−³ to 5.8, 2.2, and 1.7 μg m−³ for limonene, α-pinene, and β-pinene, respectively (corresponding to increases of 3.2-, 13-, and 14-fold). An additional unidentified compound exhibited a pronounced transient increase (up to 698-fold relative to background) during the initial deployment phase. However, its chemical identity and formation pathway remain uncertain, and both atmospheric formation and potential sampling artifacts cannot be excluded. These results demonstrate that essential oil diffusers can cause short-term increase in indoor terpene concentrations and may be associated with transient secondary chemistry, particularly during initial use. The findings highlight the importance of considering time-dependent emissions and secondary chemistry when evaluating indoor exposure associated with essential oil diffuser use.

Influence of humic acids on the passive sampling of pharmaceutical compounds by POCIS and DGT.

The efficacy of Passive Samplers in providing near real-time data on the public health status during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been demonstrated. Though they are not fully developed or tested for the detection of bacteria and resistant genes. Our main objective was to analyse the applicability of different Passive Sampler (Polythene Stripe, Steel Wool Sponge, Glass Beads, Torpedo, Pensive, Q-Tip, Filter Membranes) for selected microbial parameters (Total Bacteria, Enterococci, Tetracycline A, and Class-1 Integron) and the identification of their optimal exposure duration (2h to 48h). DNA gene copies were analysed using a ddPCR. A new normalization approach is presented, allowing the direct comparison of sediment and biofilm Passive Samples to Wastewater Samples. With all Passive Samplers we were able to detect bacteria and resistant genes at all exposure durations. The results indicate: (1) Passive Samples yield reasonable normalized ratios of microbial parameters compared to composite Wastewater Samples; (2) Different Passive Sampler types (biofilm, sediment, material) have different optimal exposure durations; (3) The handling effort and reproducibility of the sediment extraction is best for Glass Beads. With our study we have demonstrated, that Passive Samplers can be an important tool in WBE applications.

Local wastewater monitoring as a complementary tool in a mumps outbreak investigation in the Netherlands: A proof-of-concept study.

The role of biofilms formed on different mesoplastics as a carrier of a range of diverse contaminants in estuarine water.

An ozone monitoring system composed of two parts, monitoring device (passive sampling tube and ready-to-use indigotrisulfonate (ITS) immobilized pad) for sampling and sensing with smartphone detection is presented. The detection was based on bleaching of ITS by ozone and color evaluation via image processing. Correlation of the change of blue color (Red intensity) with amount of the immobilized ITS leads to ozone concentration by applying Fick's first law of diffusion. The conditions for monitoring were optimized by considering amount of ITS, sampling time, and ambient ozone concentration. The proposed system offers flexibility in ozone monitoring. Under an investigation condition, in real ambient air, ozone detection in the mixing ratio range 10-40ppbv (20-78μgm-3) is possible, and results have been validated by the continuous ozone monitoring method. The proposed system was applied to ozone monitoring in ambient air within a district of Berlin (Germany) at 16 sites (about 0.5km2). The data were then used for calculation of the spatial distribution of the entire area. Monitoring can be carried out by transporting the monitoring devices from various sampling sites to the central lab; over 100 samples per day can be analyzed by a single operator. Alternatively, parallel operation could be performed in many different sampling sites by different operators, leading to semi-real time monitoring. The proposed system is cost-effective (less than 1 USD/device for materials) and very simple to use. The proposed system supports several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has potential for citizen science applications.

Most in vitro reporter gene bioassays for detecting biological activities in aquatic environments rely on mammalian receptors and may not accurately assess risk for aquatic organisms. This study explored species-specific differences in activation or inhibition of six human and zebrafish nuclear receptors by environmental water extracts from the Czech Republic. Active sampling was conducted at wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) influents and effluents, receiving waters, and ponds; passive sampling in rivers across the Czech Republic, spanning the Bohemian and Moravian regions. A battery of bioassays including human (h) and zebrafish (zf) estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), androgen (AR), progesterone (PR), glucocorticoid (GR), mineralocorticoid (MR), and pregnane X (PXR) receptors were employed. hERα activity was detected more frequently than zfERα. Detection and responsiveness of AR activity were similar in both human and zebrafish bioassays. hPR activity appeared only in influent of WWTP Protivín, whereas zfPR activity was found in influents of both WWTP Protivín and Vodňany. zfMR activity was detected in both WWTP influents; no hMR activity was observed. zfPXR activity occurred in influents and surface waters, whereas hPXR activity was restricted to WWTP influents. No (anti-)glucocorticoid activity was detected. Our findings indicate that both human and zebrafish nuclear receptor-based bioassays are suitable for monitoring ERα and AR activities, while zebrafish bioassays are better for PR, MR, and PXR activities in fish habitats. These results may guide researchers in selecting the most appropriate bioassay for assessing endocrine activity in waters.

Passive sampling and molecular networking for surveillance of lipophilic marine biotoxins along the south coast of Korea.

To address the lack of representativeness of sampling rate (Rs) for Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler (POCIS) for water quality study using passive sampling, a novel approach was explored involving Diffusive Gradients in Thin film for organic compounds (o-DGT) as a calibration tool to determine site-specific Rs. In contrast to POCIS, effects of the diffusive boundary layer on water concentration (Cw) determination can be considered for o-DGT. In this approach, o-DGT and POCIS, with similar Oasis® HLB binding phases and polyether sulfone membranes, were exposed under identical conditions. The underlying hypothesis is that both devices will yield the same Cw. Based on this, Rs can be calculated from the masses accumulated by the two devices and the o-DGT calibration parameters. In controlled lab conditions, this study demonstrated the consistency of Rs determined by o-DGT with conventional experimental methods across various hydrodynamic conditions. During field deployments, the limitations of Rs determined by the usual methods were highlighted: Cw sometimes too low for quantification by grab sampling, high uncertainty and strong desorption of Performance Reference Compound (PRC) due to the hydrodynamic conditions. Conversely, the Rs obtained by o-DGT were systematically determined and within the same magnitude as those determined by other available methods. The advantages of this method lie in the readily available o-DGT parameters for each deployment condition and in the measurement of Cw which can be challenging. This calibration method allows to determine site-specific Rs easily and at a low cost. In the context of monitoring programs, deploying o-DGT during initial campaigns could facilitate Rs determination under specific environmental conditions, which can then be applied to subsequent campaigns. Nevertheless, for compounds with low affinity for o-DGT, as Paroxetine, the proposed method is limited to obtain robust Rs.

Nontarget GC-ECNI-Orbitrap-HRMS screening and evaluation method used to identify polyhalogenated compounds extracted from two passive air samplers deployed at marine islands in Australia.

A line with no hook: longline-associated passive eDNA samplers for deep-sea fish monitoring.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is an increasingly important approach for assessing community exposure to pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, and biomarkers, yet its reliance on autosamplers limits spatial and temporal coverage due to high cost, maintenance, and infrastructure demands. Passive sampling (PS) offers a power-free, time-integrated alternative for monitoring polar organic contaminants in complex wastewater matrices. This review examines the performance of adsorption- and diffusion-based PS devices, emphasizing how calibration, biofouling, and sorbent-analyte interactions govern quantitative reliability. In situ calibration remains essential for robust uptake estimates, while ion-exchange and mixed-mode sorbents provide enhanced selectivity and broader analyte coverage. Beyond targeted screening, PS enables semi-quantitative, non-targeted analyses through high-resolution mass spectrometry, expanding its analytical scope. Rather than replacing autosamplers, PS should be viewed as a complementary technology capable of improving spatial and temporal resolution in WBE. Ongoing innovations in design, calibration, and data interpretation will shape its integration into future wastewater surveillance frameworks. • Review of 23 studies using passive samplers in wastewater-based epidemiology. • Compared adsorption, gel diffusion, and passive diffusion mechanisms. • Identified challenges for calibration, biofouling, and sorbent selectivity. • Outlook: hybrid calibration, ion-exchange resins, and HRMS non-target tools.

Performance of PUF-Disk Passive Air Samplers for Quantitative and Compositional Assessment of Airborne Bacteria