Polyurethane foam passive air samplers (PUF-PAS) are the most common type of passive air sampler used for a range of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), including regulated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and emerging contaminants (e.g., novel flame retardants, phthalates, current-use pesticides). Data from PUF-PAS are key indicators of effectiveness of global regulatory actions on SVOCs, such as the Global Monitoring Plan of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. While most PUF-PAS use similar double-dome metal shielding, there is no standardized dome size, shape, or deployment configuration, with many different PUF-PAS designs used in regional and global monitoring. Yet, no information is available on the comparability of data from studies using different PUF-PAS designs. We brought together 12 types of PUF-PAS used by different research groups around the world and deployed them in a multi-part intercomparison to evaluate the variability in reported concentrations introduced by different elements of PAS monitoring. PUF-PAS were deployed for 3 months in outdoor air in Kjeller, Norway in 2015-2016 in three phases to capture (1) the influence of sampler design on data comparability, (2) the influence of analytical variability when samplers are analyzed at different laboratories, and (3) the overall variability in global monitoring data introduced by differences in sampler configurations and analytical methods. Results indicate that while differences in sampler design (in particular, the spacing between the upper and lower sampler bowls) account for up to 50 % differences in masses collected by samplers, the variability introduced by analysis in different laboratories far exceeds this amount, resulting in differences spanning orders of magnitude for POPs and PAHs. The high level of variability due to analysis in different laboratories indicates that current SVOC air sampling data (i.e., not just for PUF-PAS but likely also for active air sampling) are not directly comparable between laboratories/monitoring programs. To support on-going efforts to mobilize more SVOC data to contribute to effectiveness evaluation, intercalibration exercises to account for uncertainties in air sampling, repeated at regular intervals, must be established to ensure analytical comparability and avoid biases in global-scale assessments of SVOCs in air caused by differences in laboratory performance.

• Klíčová slova
• Global air monitoring, PUF disk, Passive air sampling, Persistent organic pollutants, Semi-volatile organic compounds, Stockholm Convention,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Monitoring methodologies reflecting the long-term quality and contamination of surface waters are needed to obtain a representative picture of pollution and identify risk drivers. This study sets a baseline for characterizing chemical pollution in the Danube River using an innovative approach, combining continuous three-months use of passive sampling technology with comprehensive chemical (747 chemicals) and bioanalytical (seven in vitro bioassays) assessment during the Joint Danube Survey (JDS4). This is one of the world's largest investigative surface-water monitoring efforts in the longest river in the European Union, which water after riverbank filtration is broadly used for drinking water production. Two types of passive samplers, silicone rubber (SR) sheets for hydrophobic compounds and AttractSPETM HLB disks for hydrophilic compounds, were deployed at nine sites for approximately 100 days. The Danube River pollution was dominated by industrial compounds in SR samplers and by industrial compounds together with pharmaceuticals and personal care products in HLB samplers. Comparison of the Estimated Environmental Concentrations with Predicted No-Effect Concentrations revealed that at the studied sites, at least one (SR) and 4-7 (HLB) compound(s) exceeded the risk quotient of 1. We also detected AhR-mediated activity, oxidative stress response, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma-mediated activity, estrogenic, androgenic, and anti-androgenic activities using in vitro bioassays. A significant portion of the AhR-mediated and estrogenic activities could be explained by detected analytes at several sites, while for the other bioassays and other sites, much of the activity remained unexplained. The effect-based trigger values for estrogenic and anti-androgenic activities were exceeded at some sites. The identified drivers of mixture in vitro effects deserve further attention in ecotoxicological and environmental pollution research. This novel approach using long-term passive sampling provides a representative benchmark of pollution and effect potentials of chemical mixtures for future water quality monitoring of the Danube River and other large water bodies.

• Klíčová slova
• Bioanalytical equivalent, Concentration addition, Iceberg modelling, Mixture effects, Passive sampling, Risk prioritization,
• MeSH
• antagonisté androgenů MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * toxicita   analýza   MeSH
• ekotoxikologie MeSH
• estron MeSH
• kvalita vody * MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• řeky chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antagonisté androgenů MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu * MeSH
• estron MeSH

One of the less studied in vitro biological activities in the aquatic environment are thyroid hormone receptor beta (TRβ)-mediated agonistic and antagonistic activities and transthyretin (TTR) binding activity. They were measured mostly using active sampling methods, but rarely found. It is unclear if these activities co-occur, and the drivers of the (anti-)TRβ activity are mostly unknown. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to determine (anti-)TRβ activities as well as transthyretin (TTR) binding activity in passive samplers from Czech surface waters in combination with the search for the effect drivers based on liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis by applying suspect screening. Passive samplers (polar organic chemical integrative samplers, POCIS) were deployed at twenty-one sites (all ends of watersheds and other important sites in Elbe River) in the Czech rivers. The (anti-)TRβ and TTR binding activity were measured using (anti-)TRβ-CALUX and TTR-TRβ-CALUX bioassays. Anti-TRβ activity was found at eight sites, and TTR binding activity co-occurred there at six of these sites. The co-occurrence of TRβ-mediated antagonistic activity and TTR binding indicate that they may have common effect drivers. No sample exhibited TRβ agonistic activity. The extract from the site Bílina River, the most burdened with anti-TRβ activity, was further successfully fractionated, and this activity was revealed in the fraction, where mid-polar compounds prevailed. However, the suspect LC-HRMS analysis did not reveal the chemical effect drivers. Our results showed that anti-TRβ activity can be found in surface waters by employing passive sampling and frequently co-occurs with TTR binding activity. Overall, the fractionation procedure and non-target data acquisition used in this study can serve as a basis for searching the effect drivers in future research.

• Klíčová slova
• Concentration addition, Effect-directed analysis, Fractionation, Thyroid hormone, Transporter protein,
• MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• chromatografie kapalinová metody   MeSH
• hmotnostní spektrometrie metody   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí * metody   MeSH
• prealbumin * metabolismus   MeSH
• receptory thyreoidních hormonů metabolismus   MeSH
• řeky * chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• prealbumin * MeSH
• receptory thyreoidních hormonů MeSH

A pot experiment was carried out in which aged polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contaminated soil was amended with biochar, and three phases: earthworms, turnips and polyethylene (PE) passive samplers, were added simultaneously in order to investigate changes in bioavailability of PCB following biochar amendment. Two biochars were used: one made from rice husk in Indonesia using local techniques and the other made from mixed wood shavings using more advanced technology. The biochars were amended at 1 and 4% doses. The overall accumulation of PCBs to the phases followed the order: earthworm lipid > PE > turnip. The rice husk biochar reduced PCB accumulation to a greater degree than the mixed wood biochar for all phases, however there was no effect of dose for either biochar. Earthworm uptake was reduced between 52% and 91% for rice husk biochar and by 19% to 63% for mix wood biochar. Turnip uptake was not significantly reduced by biochar amendment. Phase to soil accumulation factors (PSAF) were around 0.5 for turnips, approximately 5 for PE and exceeded 100 for earthworms. This study demonstrates that both biochars can be a sustainable alternative for in situ soil remediation and that PE can be used as tool to simulate the uptake in earthworms and thus remediation effectiveness.

• Klíčová slova
• Bioavailable, Biochar, Biota, Correlation, Earthworm, Plant,
• MeSH
• Brassica napus metabolismus   MeSH
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu metabolismus   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• Oligochaeta metabolismus   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly metabolismus   MeSH
• polyethylen analýza   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• biochar MeSH Prohlížeč
• dřevěné a živočišné uhlí MeSH
• látky znečišťující půdu MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly MeSH
• polyethylen MeSH
• půda MeSH

Many attempts have been made to quantify the relationship between the amount of persistent organic pollutants sequestered by passive air sampling devices and their actual concentrations in ambient air. However, this information may not be necessary for some applications. In this study, two sets of 30 ten-year-long time series of simultaneous passive and high-volume active air sampling carried out at the Košetice observatory in the Czech Republic were used for a comparison of temporal trends. Fifteen polyaromatic hydrocarbons, seven polychlorinated biphenyls and eight organochlorine pesticides were investigated. In most cases, a good agreement was observed between the trends derived from passive and active monitoring with the exception of several compounds obviously affected by sampling artifacts. Two sampling artifacts were observed: breakthrough of high-volume sampler filters for penta- and hexachlorobenzene and semiquantitative values for PAHs with a high molecular weight. It has been suggested before that annually aggregated results of passive air monitoring may be used directly for the assessment of the long-term behavior of these compounds. The extensive set of long-term data used in this study allowed us to confirm this finding and to demonstrate that it is also possible to derive temporal trends and the compounds' half-lives in air from the passive-sampling time series.

• MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí * MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chlorované uhlovodíky MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky * MeSH

Indoor air pollution has been recognized as an important risk factor for human health, especially in areas where people tend to spend most of their time indoors. Many semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) have primarily indoor sources and are present in orders of magnitude higher concentrations indoors than outdoors. Despite this, awareness of SVOCs in indoor air and assessment of the link between indoor concentrations and human health have lagged behind those of outdoor air. This is partially related to challenges associated with indoor sampling of SVOCs. Passive air samplers (PASs), which are widely accepted in established outdoor air monitoring networks, have been used to fill the knowledge gaps on indoor SVOCs distribution. However, their applicability for indoor environments and the assessment of human health risks lack sufficient experimental data. To address this issue, we performed an indoor calibration study of polyurethane foam (PUF) PAS deployed in a double-dome chamber, covering both legacy and new SVOC classes. PUF-PAS and a continuous low-volume active air sampler (AAS) were co-deployed for a calibration period of twelve weeks. Based on the results from this evaluation, PUF-PAS in a double-bowl chamber is recommended for indoor sampling and health risk assessment of gas phase SVOCs, including novel brominated flame retardants (nBFR) providing sufficient exposure time is applied. Data for particle associated SVOCs suffered from significant uncertainties caused by low level of detection and low precision in this study. A more open chamber design for indoor studies may allow for higher sampling rates (RS) and better performance for the particle associated SVOCs.

• MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí přístrojové vybavení   metody   MeSH
• polyurethany chemie   MeSH
• směrnice jako téma * MeSH
• těkavé organické sloučeniny analýza   MeSH
• znečištění vzduchu ve vnitřním prostředí analýza   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• hodnotící studie MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• látky znečišťující vzduch MeSH
• polyurethane foam MeSH Prohlížeč
• polyurethany MeSH
• těkavé organické sloučeniny MeSH

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are recognized as pollutants of global concern, but so far, information on the trends of legacy POPs in the waters of the world has been missing due to logistical, analytical, and financial reasons. Passive samplers have emerged as an attractive alternative to active water sampling methods as they accumulate POPs, represent time-weighted average concentrations, and can easily be shipped and deployed. As part of the AQUA-GAPS/MONET, passive samplers were deployed at 40 globally distributed sites between 2016 and 2020, for a total of 21 freshwater and 40 marine deployments. Results from silicone passive samplers showed α-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and γ-HCH displaying the greatest concentrations in the northern latitudes/Arctic Ocean, in stark contrast to the more persistent penta (PeCB)- and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), which approached equilibrium across sampling sites. Geospatial patterns of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) aqueous concentrations closely matched original estimates of production and use, implying limited global transport. Positive correlations between log-transformed concentrations of Σ7PCB, ΣDDTs, Σendosulfan, and Σchlordane, but not ΣHCH, and the log of population density (p < 0.05) within 5 and 10 km of the sampling sites also supported limited transport from used sites. These results help to understand the extent of global distribution, and eventually time-trends, of organic pollutants in aquatic systems, such as across freshwaters and oceans. Future deployments will aim to establish time-trends at selected sites while adding to the geographical coverage.

• Klíčová slova
• cyclodiene pesticides, global fractionation, hexachlorobenzene, hexachlorocyclohexanes, long-range transport, organochlorine pesticides, passive sampler, polychlorinated biphenyls, silicone rubber,
• MeSH
• chlorované uhlovodíky * analýza   MeSH
• hexachlorbenzen analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * analýza   MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí * MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• pesticidy * analýza   MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly * analýza   MeSH
• sladká voda MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chlorované uhlovodíky * MeSH
• hexachlorbenzen MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch * MeSH
• látky znečišťující životní prostředí * MeSH
• pesticidy * MeSH
• polychlorované bifenyly * MeSH

Many aquatic pollutants can be present at low concentrations, but their mixtures can still affect health or behavior of exposed organisms. In this study, toxicological and chemical analyses were combined for spatial contamination profiling using an innovative passive sampling approach. A novel Dynamic Passive Sampler (DPS) was employed as a mobile sampler from a ship cruising along 2130km of the Danube river during the Joint Danube Survey 3 (JDS3). The sampling was performed in eight subsequent river stretches with two types of complementary passive samplers: silicone rubber sheets (SR) used for non-polar chemicals and SDB-RPS Empore™ disks (ED) for more hydrophilic compounds. Besides extensive chemical analyses, the bioactivity of samples was characterized by a battery of reporter gene bioassays. Cross-calibration of the employed passive samplers enabled robust estimation of water concentrations applicable for compounds with a wide range of physicochemical properties. DPS was suitable for sampling of water contaminants even at pgL-1 levels, with 209 of 267 analyzed compounds detected in the samples. Biological effects were detected in both ED and SR extracts across all river stretches by bioassays focused on xenobiotic metabolism mediated by the aryl hydrocarbon and pregnane X receptors, endocrine disruptive potential mediated by estrogen and androgen receptors and the oxidative stress response. The bioassay responses expressed as bioanalytical equivalent concentrations (BEQbio) were comparable with data obtained from large volume active sampling. The extracts of the ED samplers were more biologically active than extracts of SR samplers. Except of estrogenicity, where the analyzed chemicals explained on average 62% of the effects in ED samples, the detected chemicals explained <8% of BEQbio values. The study shows the utility of the combination of the innovative passive sampling approach with effect-based tools for efficient and fast monitoring even in water bodies with relatively low levels of contamination.

• Klíčová slova
• Androgenicity, Dioxin-like activity, Estrogenicity, Passive sampling, River,
• MeSH
• biotest MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• estrogeny MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí přístrojové vybavení   metody   MeSH
• řeky chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• estrogeny MeSH

We investigated a combination of approaches to extend the attainment of partition equilibria between silicone passive samplers (samplers) and surface or treated waste water towards more hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC). The aim was to identify the HOC hydrophobicity range for which silicone sampler equilibration in water is feasible within a reasonable sampler deployment period. Equilibrium partitioning of HOC between sampler and water is desirable for a simpler application as a "chemometer", aiming to compare chemical activity gradients across environmental media (e.g. water, sediment, biota). The tested approaches included a) long sampler exposure periods and high water flow to maximize mass transfer from water to sampler; b) the use of samplers with reduced sheet thicknesses; and c) pre-equilibration of samplers with local bottom sediment, followed by their exposure in surface water at the same sampling site. These approaches were tested at three sites including a fish pond with a low level of pollution, a river impacted by an urban agglomeration and an effluent of municipal wastewater treatment plant. Tested compounds included polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), DDT, its metabolites and their isomers, hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). The study shows that samplers with a surface area of 400-800 cm2 consisting of thin (100-500 μm) silicone sheets exposed at sampling rates of 10-40 L d-1 for a time period of up to four months reach partition equilibrium with water for compounds with log Kow ≤ 5.5. Nevertheless, for compounds beyond this limit it is challenging, within a reasonable time period, to reach equilibrium between sampler and water in an open system where water boundary layer resistance controls the mass transfer. For more hydrophobic HOC (log Kow > 6), the kinetic method using performance reference compounds is recommended instead.

• Klíčová slova
• Aquatic pollution, Equilibrium partitioning, Mass transfer, Passive sampling, Persistent organic pollutants, Silicone,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

This study was carried out in the framework of the ICON project (Integrated Assessment of Contaminant Impacts on the North Sea) (Hylland et al., 2015) and aimed (1) to evaluate the toxicity of marine sediments using a battery of rapid toxicity bioassays, and; (2) to explore the applicability and data interpretation of in vitro toxicity profiling of sediment extracts obtained from ex situ passive sampling. Sediment samples were collected at 12 selected (estuarine, coastal, offshore) sites in the North Sea, Icelandic waters (as reference sites), south-western Baltic Sea and western Mediterranean during autumn 2008. Organic extracts using a mild non-destructive clean-up procedure were prepared from total sediment and silicone passive samplers and tested with five in vitro bioassays: DR-Luc bioassay, ER-Luc bioassay, AR-EcoScreen bioassay, transthyretin (TTR) binding assay, and Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence bioassay. In vitro toxicity profiling of total sediment and silicone passive sampler extracts showed the presence of multiple organic contaminations by arylhydrocarbon receptor agonists (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and endocrine-active compounds, as well as non-specific toxicity caused by organic contaminants, at virtually all sampling sites. In vitro responses to total sediment extracts from coastal/estuarine sites were significantly different from those in offshore sites (p < 0.05). Several bioassays of passive sampler extracts showed highest activity in some offshore sediment samples. Impact on embryogenesis success and larval growth in undiluted sediment elutriates was shown at some sites using the in vivo sea urchin embryo test. The observed toxicity profiles could only partially be explained by the chemical target analysis, indicating the presence of unknown or unanalysed biologically-active compounds in the sediments. In vitro bioassay testing with silicone passive sampler extracts of sediments is a promising tool to assess the toxic potency of the bioavailable fraction of hydrophobic sediment contaminants, but further work will be needed before it can be routinely applied for sediment quality assessment.

• Klíčová slova
• In vitro bioassay, Larval bioassay, Passive sampling, Sediment elutriates, Sediment extracts, Sediment pollution, Sediment toxicity, Toxicity profiling,
• MeSH
• Aliivibrio fischeri MeSH
• biotest MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu toxicita   MeSH
• geologické sedimenty chemie   MeSH
• ježovky MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky toxicita   MeSH
• receptory aromatických uhlovodíků MeSH
• testy toxicity metody   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Severní moře MeSH
• Názvy látek
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• polycyklické aromatické uhlovodíky MeSH
• receptory aromatických uhlovodíků MeSH