Continuous flow integrative sampler. An innovative device for time weigthed average monitoring

Profil Titel	Continuous flow integrative sampler. An innovative device for time weigthed average monitoring
Referenz	09 ES 23D2 3E0V
Herkunftsland	Spain
Kooperationsart	Angebot
Eintrag/Änderung	2009-08-07 / 2013-04-16
Status	update

Kurzfassung

A Spanish company has developed a continuous flow integrative sampler for the time weighted average monitoring of dissolved organic micro pollutants in water. This device permits to obtain low detection limits and accuracy results without preconcentrating large water volumes. Also, it could be used as fingerprint detection system and for providing information on speciation of metals. The company looks for partners to reach commercial agreements with technical assistance or technical cooperation.

Details

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EEC has found it necessary to develop a list of 33 Priority Organic Pollutants that must be measured in order to improve the water quality to achieve “good” status. For successful implementation of the WFD, it will be necessary to obtain a representative picture of water quality across European Union (EU) Member States.The Spanish company has participated in different projects in the field of passive sampling (PS) monitoring of organic micropollutants in water. The main scopes of the above projects covered the use of different passive sampling devices (such as semipermeable membrane devices (SPMD), membrane enclosed sorptive coating, etc) for the monitoring of ultra-low levels of organic pollutants in the water media. A new device has been patented by the Spanish company able to obtain time weighted average (TWA) concentrations. As shown in the Figure, the fully immersible device is small in size (20 x 7x 7 cm), and consists of a small peristaltic pump powered by a lithium battery, which produces a constant flow through a glass cell. The sorbent is located inside this cell. The device cannot truly be defined as a passive sampler because it needs an energy supply of 100mA to work the mini-pump, and so can be classified as “integrative”. This new device, which has been patented, will allow autonomous sampling during long periods (up to 15 days) of both polar and apolar compounds alike, as well as heavy metals, depending on the sorbent, or combination of sorbents used. The constant flow rate through the cell will allow the collection of high sample rate values as an absolute figure, which will be independent of any turbulence in the sampled medium. Thus giving TWA concentrations which will be reproducible under different exposure conditions, with lag time values of almost zero.Innovative Aspects:- Passive sampling (PS) represents a promising alternative to spot sampling methods currently established and accepted by regulatory organisms. - In addition, PS permits to obtain lower detection limits than spot sampling, which needs to preconcentrate larger volumes of water (1L or 2L) to detect some compounds at trace levels. - Passive samplers measure really dissolved fractions, which are the bioavailable part, being different from those measured using laboratory analysis of spot samples. INNOVATION ASPECTS:- PS directly provides in one sampler TWA concentrations giving more representative measurements of pollutant concentrations (i.e. water quality). - Passive samplers can provide a “fingerprint” for accidental contamination. - It is possible to obtain information on speciation of metals, and this is pertinent to their bioavailability and potential toxicity.