Sylwia Król

PBDEs in environmental samples: Sampling and analysis

The paper reviews the subject literature concerning analytical procedures routinely sed for monitoring polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in environmental samples. It describes and summarizes subsequent stages of analytical procedure including sample collection and preparation, extraction, clean-up and final determination. Different approaches with their advantages and limitations are presented. Special attention is drawn to the newly developed, promising extraction techniques, especially: liquid-liquid-microextraction (LLME) with its modifications, cloud point extraction (CPE) and hollow fiber microextraction. The review compares available detection techniques taking into account their usefulness for determining different PBDEs in complex matrix as well as discussing possible limitations that may occur during the analysis. The quality assurance and quality control aspect of analytical procedure is described. Finally special attention is paid to the determination of highly brominated PBDE compounds (e.g. BDE209), which requires implementation of different analytical approach.

Occurrence and levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in house dust and hair samples from Northern Poland; an assessment of human exposure

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are among most ubiquitous compounds to be found in indoor environment and ingestion of household dust is considered an important route of exposure to PBDEs, especially in toddlers and young children. The present work reported concentration levels of PBDE congeners (PBDE-28, -47, -99, -100, -153, -154, -183 and -209) in hair and dust samples from selected households from Northern Poland. The concentrations of PBDEs in dust ranged from <MDL to 615ngg(-)(1) while from <MDL to 25ngg(-1) in human hair. PBDE-209 was reported the dominating congener. Two separated exposure scenarios (mean and 95th percentile) were used to provide a comprehensive overview of possible risks arising from ingestion of household dust. The estimated exposure to ∑PBDEs via ingestion of household dust varied from 21 to 92ngd(-1) in toddlers and from 3.7 to 20ngd(-1) in adults. By comparison of correlation between the concentrations of PBDEs in paired hair and dust samples the present work also investigated the possibility of use of hair for reflecting the actual exposure to PBDEs in humans. Finally the possible uncertainties associated with exposure assessment were investigated in the present study.

Monitoring and analytics of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in indoor air

This paper reviews literature information on the behaviour of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in the indoor environment, as well as the most likely emission sources. The consecutive stages of analytical procedures used for monitoring SVOCs in indoor environments are described. The most common approaches used for collecting samples from the gas and particulate phases are mentioned. The paper discusses and compares various types of sorbents and filters applied in dynamic, passive and denudational techniques, as well as the techniques used to liberate the SVOCs, including Soxhlet, sonication and microwave extraction. The main advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed, together with possible future trends. The approaches commonly used during the final determination step, such as gas chromatography and liquid chromatography, are presented together with their possible drawbacks, and ways of eliminating them are suggested. The review makes brief reference to the effects of human exposure to SVOCs in house dust and discusses the main aspects of the analytical procedures used to monitor the presence of SVOCs in this medium.

Determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in house dust using standard addition method and gas chromatography with electron capture and mass spectrometric detection.

Monitoring of the environmental fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) involves determination of their concentration in air, airborne particles and settled dust. This requires the implementation of appropriate analytical tools like measuring instruments, reference materials and analytical procedures. In this study an analytical procedure was developed for determining PBDEs in samples with a complex matrix composition. The efficiencies of three different extraction techniques - Soxhlet extraction (SE), Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) and Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) - were compared. The study investigated the possibility of using the standard addition method for estimating PBDEs levels. The GC-μECD system was successfully applied as an alternative to low resolution mass spectrometry (LRMS) for determining BDE-209 in dust samples. The developed analytical procedure was then used to analyze dust samples, collected from houses and computer suites in the Tri-city area (Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot), in order to detect and quantify the presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the indoor environment. Concentrations of studied congeners (from triBDE to heptaBDE), obtained by chromatographic analysis of dust samples extracts, performed applying two measurement systems (GC-EIMS and GC-μECD) ranged between 331 and 3102 ng g(-1) for house dust and between <LOD and 870 ng g(-1) for electronic dust. The highest concentrations were obtained for congeners with four, five and six bromine atoms (BDE-47, BDE-99, BDE-100 and BDE-153). Concentrations of BDE-209 ranged from 384 ng g(-1) (house dust) to 12,553 ng g(-1) (electronic dust).

Removal of BTEX Compounds From Waste Gases; Destruction and Recovery Techniques

The tendency for BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) to spread into all compartments of the environment together with their influence on both ecosystem and human health means that the emission of thesecompounds into the air is becoming the matter of worldwide concern. The legal regulations introduced by the European Union governing the assessment and management of air quality obliges member states to systematically reduce BTEX emissions into the atmosphere, and hence to monitor and then remove these compounds from contaminated gaseous media. Recent years have witnessed the ongoing search for new and improved techniques for removing BTEX compounds from waste gases. The authors describe the destruction techniques commonly used for treating waste gases, focusing on the ever more popular biological methods (with their modifications) and the well-established techniques utilizing oxidation. They focused on discussing both advantages and drawbacks of presented techniques. Attention is also drawn to innovative energy-conserving approaches (plasma methods) that are considered future trends in the contaminated air purification technology.