o-DGT Devices for the Determination of Emerging Contaminants in Aqueous Matrices

Samplers based on the diffusive gradients in thin films for organics (o-DGT) were developed and applied in Brazilian aqueous matrices for the determination of four emerging contaminants (EC): 4-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, triclosan, and bisphenol A. The OASIS HLB resin used as the binding phase presented a high sorption capacity and the extraction associated with sonication, using a mixture of acetonitrile and methanol (2:1, v v-1) as the solvent, provided a higher desorbed mass of the compounds. The diffusion coefficients determined experimentally were in the range of the values found in the literature and the pH and ionic strength influenced the sorption of some compounds by the binding phase. The substances were detected and quantified in tap and river water samples after 7 days of deployment using gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Finally, the results indicate deficiencies in the current wastewater, as well as water treatment systems, and could contribute in the future to the improvement of public policies on basic sanitation in Brazil.