Monitoring of surface waters for organic contaminants can be a costly endeavor. Grab sampling often results in non-detect results for organic contaminants either due to missing a pulse event or due to limitations of analytical instrumentation to detect the target analytes given the standard sample size. C.L.A.M. samplers (C.I. Agent® Storm-Water Solutions) are disk-shaped solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges which allow for continuous aqueous extraction and concentration of organic contaminants in surface water flows and storm water runoff. A broad spectrum analytical screening approach for monitoring organic contaminants in urban runoff utilizing the C.L.A.M samplers has been developed. An intermediate polarity solid phase, hydrophobic/lipophilic balanced (HLB), was chosen as the sorbent for the C.L.A.M. disk to target a broad range of compound polarities in the environment. The relevant polarity range encompasses multiple pesticide classes and a four order of magnitude difference in aqueous solubility across target compounds. Selected urban-use pesticides with acceptable recoveries (&gt;70%) from the HLB C.L.A.M. disk were identified and targeted for analysis by LCMSMS. A stability study of target compounds sorbed to the disk indicated a 28 day hold time between sample collection and laboratory extraction was possible without unacceptable analyte loss. Although the C.L.A.M. sampler has limitations in its deployment and data translatability for traditional water quality assessment, it is a powerful tool for the development of more focused and informed monitoring efforts based on pre-identified targets in the field. This approach has the ability to stretch limited sampling budgets while maximizing the ability to obtain relevant chemistry data.

Continuous Low Level Aquatic Monitoring (C.L.A.M.) samplers for organic contaminant screening in urban runoff: Development of an analytical approach

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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