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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Single-throughput Complementary High-resolution Analytical Techniques for Characterizing Complex Natural Organic Matter Mixtures
Published on: January 7, 2019
Partitioning of selected environmental pollutants into organic matter as determined by solid-phase microextraction
Helena Prosen1, Sanja Fingler, Lucija Zupancic-Kralj
1University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Askerceva 5, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Helena.Prosen@fkkt.uni-lj.si
Abstract:
Partitioning/sorption of selected environmental pollutants (PCBs, organochlorine insecticides, triazine and amide herbicides) into dissolved humic acids (HA), soil and mineral substances was evaluated by measuring their free concentrations by solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Compounds were chosen to cover a wide range of logK(ow) (2.2-7.6). Two different types of partitioning behaviour for dissolved HA were observed. Compounds with logK(ow)>5 partitioned almost instantly into HA fraction and the remaining free fraction remained rather constant. LogK(HA) and logK(DOC) were calculated and found to be similar for commercial HA, HA standard and isolated HA. The behaviour of these compounds in soil suspension was similar, but strong sorption on CaCO3 and Florisil was also noticed. For compounds with logK(ow)<5, we have not noticed significant changes in free concentrations in HA solutions over time. In soil suspension, however, some sorption/partitioning was observed over time for some compounds, but it was matching the sorption on CaCO3 and Florisil.

