Assessment of low-density polyethylene and poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) capability for the uptake Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in atmospheric passive sampling devices

Abstract In this study, the ability of Poly (ethylene vinyl acetate) (EVA) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) to uptake persistent organic pollutants (POPs) (13 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and 19 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) was evaluated in passive environmental monitoring samplers. The compounds adsorbed on the polymers surface, were extracted with n-hexane and methanol. Afterward, they were quantified by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometry detector (GC-MS 2 ). In the process of uptaking, a fast accumulation kinetics for both polymeric materials were observed. Generally, the compounds with lower molecular weight (186-291.9 g/mol) and lower K OA (6.17-6.82) reached the equilibrium region in less than 1 day, while the compounds with high molecular weight (318-464 g/mol), the equilibrium region was reached after 10 days. Finally, the GFF-EVA was used in a pilot sampling test in the city of Santiago de Cali (Colombia) in four sampling campaigns that were carried out between March and May 2019 in an exposure time of 15 days. Ten (10) PCBs and thirteen (13) OCPs were detected. The highest concentrations of these POPs were detected at the following stations: Transitoria, ERA-Obrero, La Flora and Base Aérea. The evaluated polymers proved to be suitable and promising materials for monitoring POPs due to their low cost, easy implementation, and deployment.