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Comparison of PoraPak Rxn RP and XAD-2 adsorbents for monitoring dissolved hydrophobic organic contaminants

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Abstract

Accurate determination of the levels of dissolved hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) is an important step in estimating the dynamics of their inputs and losses in aqueous systems. This study explores an alternative method for efficiently sampling dissolved HOCs while mitigating a number of sampling artifacts associated with traditional methods. The adsorption characteristics of a new polymeric resin, PoraPak Rxn RP (PPR), were assessed using sorption isotherm experiments and fixed bed adsorption studies. The adsorption capacities and breakthrough times for four model contaminants (phenol, p-nitrophenol, naphthalene, and 2,4,6-tribromophenol) were proportional to the contaminant’s hydrophobicity. The ability of PPR to isolate dissolved polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in real samples was compared with that of XAD-2, a well-known macroporous polymer that suffers from high background contamination. The results indicated that the PPR resin can be effectively used for monitoring HOCs, with low ∑PCB levels in blanks, decreasing solvent use, and reducing extraction times.

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Acknowledgments

This research was conducted as part of the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP), a multi-institutional program funded by the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office under grant GL-00E00454. This work is solely attributed to the authors and does not necessarily represent the view of the US EPA. The authors wish to thank Brian Folgherait and the staff of the City of Oswego Water Department for their assistance in the collection of the Lake Ontario water samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, Clarkson University, P.O. Box 5708, Potsdam, NY, 13699, USA

    Mark Omara, Thomas M. Holsen, Xiaoyan Xia, Bernard S. Crimmins & Philip K. Hopke

  2. Environmental Research Center, Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Oswego, 403B Shineman Center, 30 Centennial Drive, Oswego, NY, 13126, USA

    James J. Pagano

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  1. Mark Omara
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  2. Thomas M. Holsen
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Correspondence to Philip K. Hopke.

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Omara, M., Holsen, T.M., Xia, X. et al. Comparison of PoraPak Rxn RP and XAD-2 adsorbents for monitoring dissolved hydrophobic organic contaminants. Environ Monit Assess 186, 7565–7577 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3948-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-014-3948-6

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