Development of Solid Ceramic Dosimeters for the Time-Integrative Passive Sampling of Volatile Organic Compounds in...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Passive sampling offers a method for time-integrative monitoring of environmental contaminants.
• Accurate measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water is crucial for environmental protection.
• Existing methods for VOCs in water may have limitations in field applicability and time-weighted average concentration determination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel solid ceramic dosimeter for time-integrative passive sampling of VOCs in water.
• To assess the performance of the solid ceramic dosimeter across various VOC concentrations and environmental conditions.
• To compare the effectiveness of the solid ceramic dosimeter with traditional porous ceramic samplers.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a nonporous solid ceramic material to prevent water permeation, allowing only gas-phase diffusion of VOCs.
• Quantified the mass accumulation of 11 VOCs over time in the ceramic dosimeter.
• Measured VOC diffusivity in the solid ceramic and compared it to air and porous ceramic values.
• Investigated the influence of salt, temperature, and dissolved organic matter on VOC mass accumulation.

Main Results:

• Mass accumulation of 11 VOCs showed linear increases with time and aqueous-phase concentrations (16.9–1100 μg L⁻¹).
• Average VOC diffusivity in solid ceramic (1.46 × 10⁻¹⁰ m² s⁻¹) was significantly lower than in air but higher than in porous ceramics.
• Mass accumulation increased with salt concentration (≥0.1 M) and temperature (4–40 °C), with minor variation due to dissolved organic matter.
• The solid ceramic dosimeter demonstrated suitability for field testing and measuring time-weighted average VOC concentrations.

Conclusions:

• The solid ceramic dosimeter provides an effective means for time-integrative passive sampling of VOCs in water.
• Its nonporous nature and gas-phase diffusion mechanism enhance VOC capture efficiency compared to porous ceramics.
• This technology is well-suited for field deployment in monitoring VOC-contaminated water bodies.