A UV-transparent passive concentrator/spectrum deconvolution method for simultaneous detection of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and related contaminants in natural waters.

Suspected endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been widely detected in the environment, and are a source of increasing concern. One of the major challenges in assessing the risk associated with EDCs in the environment is that their environmental concentrations are typically extremely low - on the order of ngL(-1) to microgL(-1) - making them difficult to quantify without extensive pre-concentration procedures. Further complicating their detection is the fact that they are present in mixtures, sometimes with tens to hundreds of other compounds (pharmaceuticals, personal care products, detergents, natural organic matter). The objective of the work described here was to develop a method for rapid monitoring and detection of EDCs at trace concentrations in natural waters. The method makes use of a UV-transparent polymer-based concentrator to be used as a passive sampling device. The UV-transparent polymer-based concentrator serves both as a solid phase extraction medium to concentrate EDCs for analysis and exclude many compounds likely to interfere with detection (fines, macromolecules such as organic matter, ionic surfactants), and as an analytical optical cell, allowing rapid EDC quantification without labor-intensive pre-concentration procedures. A full-spectrum deconvolution technique is used to determine EDC concentrations from measured UV absorbance spectra in the polymer. Experiments were conducted to measure partitioning rate behavior and partition coefficients between the selected polymer (a functional polydimethylsiloxane) and water for seven compounds known or suspected of being endocrine disruptors: estrone, progesterone, estradiol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone, phenanthrene, triclosan, and 4-nonylphenol. The method was tested for its ability to detect and quantify individual compounds in mixtures containing up to six components. Results show the method to have selectivity suitable for rapid screening applications at many sites where multiple compounds are present.