In situ passive sampling of sediments in the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site: Replicability, comparison with ex situ measurements, and use of data

摘要: Superfund sites with sediments contaminated by hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) can be difficult to characterize because of the complex nature sorption sediments. Porewater concentrations, which are often used model transport HOCs from sediment bed into overlying water, benthic organisms, and larger food web, traditionally estimated using concentrations coefficients equilibrium partitioning (EqP) theory. However, researchers have begun polymeric samplers determine porewater since this method does not require knowledge sediment's properties. In work, polyethylene passive were deployed in field (in situ sampling) mixed laboratory (ex active that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The results show based on ex sampling generally agreed within a factor two, but consistently lower than concentrations. Imprecision arising procedures explain bias suggesting processes like bioirrigation may cause differences observed between samplers.