Evaluating the Relationship between Equilibrium Passive Sampler Uptake and Aquatic Organism Bioaccumulation

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Ecotoxicology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) pose risks to aquatic ecosystems.
• Organism bioaccumulation is a key metric for HOC exposure assessment.
• Passive sampling offers a potential surrogate for direct bioaccumulation measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review passive sampler uptake of HOCs as a surrogate for organism bioaccumulation.
• To evaluate the predictive power of passive sampling for HOC bioaccumulation across various aquatic organisms and polymer types.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 57 studies comparing passive sampler uptake (C_PS) and organism bioaccumulation (C_L).
• Analysis of 19 studies with direct comparisons between passive sampling and bioaccumulation.
• Regression analysis to establish correlations between C_PS and C_L using polymers like low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyoxymethylene (POM), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

Main Results:

• Passive sampling concentrations showed log-log predictive relationships with measured bioaccumulation, typically within one to two orders of magnitude.
• Mean coefficients of determination (r²) were 0.68 for LDPE, 0.76 for PDMS, and 0.58 for POM.
• The mean ratio of C_L to C_PS was 10.8 ± 18.4 across 609 data points.

Conclusions:

• Passive sampling is a viable surrogate for organism bioaccumulation, especially when biomonitoring is impractical.
• Passive sampling provides valuable data for assessing HOC bioavailability in aquatic environments.
• This approach supports informed environmental decision-making regarding contaminant exposure.