Application of negligible-depletion solid phase microextraction to quantify the interaction between estrogenic micropollutants and bulk organic matter

ENVR 49

Peta A. Neale, p.neale@ed.ac.uk1, Beate I. Escher, escher@eawag.ch2, and Andrea I. Schäfer, Andrea.Schaefer@ed.ac.uk1. (1) School of Engineering and Electronics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, United Kingdom, (2) Environmental Toxicology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
Estrogenic micropollutants can be considered a cause of concern for human health due to their potential ability to disrupt the endocrine system. The interaction of trace contaminants with bulk organic matter can have significant consequences for the fate and bioavailability of estradiol in the aquatic environment. Through the application of negligible–depletion solid phase microextraction (nd–SPME) the affinity of trace level estradiol has been quantified for a range of bulk organic matter, including various humic and fulvic acids, tannic acid and cellulose. These bulk organic matter types were selected as they are commonly found in water and wastewater. The affinity was also studied as a function of estradiol concentration and pH. The results demonstrate that estradiol has the strongest affinity for bulk organic compounds containing phenolic groups, such as tannic acid and humic acid. The nd–SPME results are comparable to literature data for this interaction when techniques including fluorescence quenching and solubility enhancement have been used. Therefore, through the application of nd–SPME an improved understanding of the interaction of estrogenic micropollutants and bulk organic matter can be obtained.