Biomedical subjects

D Barcelo

Publications and source records attributed to D Barcelo.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

A comparison of the environmental impact of pesticide multiresidues and their occurrence in river waters surveyed by liquid chromatography coupled in tandem with UV diode array detection and mass spectrometry.

Twenty-two pesticides and metabolites selected on the basis of a regional priority list, were surveyed in surface river waters by high performance liquid chromatography coupled in tandem with UV diode array detection and mass spectrometry, after an off-line pre-concentration step. Pesticide concentrations ranged between 0.07 and 4.8 microg/l according to the compound and sampling period. Analytical results were linked to the environmental risk of pesticides, evaluated by their system investigation of risk by integration of score (SIRIS) rank.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

PubMed2004

Removal of persistent polar pollutants through improved treatment of wastewater effluents (P-THREE).

The EU-project P-THREE started with the establishment of analytical methods for persistent polar pollutants (P3) and quality assurance, followed by screening of P3 in influents and effluents of known wastewater (WW) treatment plants (TP), receiving waters and tap water produced thereof in several European countries. A final selection of analytes for further studies has been performed. Model MBR reactors have been constructed and an optimisation on synthetic wastewater spiked with P3 (linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), naphthalene sulfonates) has been performed. An initial dynamic modelling of treatment processes has also started. Advanced oxidation process (AOP) treatment has been done in groundwater with isoproturon and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO). The analysis of individual P3 and potential degradation products was also performed. An integrated systeme analysis of the WW treatment processes has also been initiated.

Alkanesulfonic Acids↗

PubMed2003

Monitoring freshwater sediments.

The objectives of the SENSPOL Expert Meeting on 'Monitoring Freshwater Sediments' held in Antwerp, Belgium, 12-13 September, 2001, were firstly to identify and define problems and secondly to develop a realistic strategy to solve these problems. Both of the stakeholder groups (governmental authorities and the dredging industry) present at the workshop participated in detailed discussions to elucidate the role of sensors in the field of sediments and sediment/water interfaces. The 19 invited experts were agreed that in situ monitoring systems are needed to monitor freshwater sediments. New recognised tools for sediment monitoring would help industry to meet the governmental sediment quality criteria and to handle the data concerning historic river contamination and geological background data. The need to monitor by effect-related studies together with chemical monitoring was stressed. The main focus for development of new sensor tools should be for on site determination of certain priority pollutants where there would be advantage over existing methods or where no suitable method exists, and to monitor biological effects (alarm systems and effect-related on site tests). Sensing technologies would also be useful to monitor bioavailability in sediments in situ to provide information for risk assessment. In addition, they could be of use to monitor bioremediation in situ. A useful role was forseen in dredging sediments, for in situ sediment screening and to guide treatment of dredged material. The new sensing tools presented, included determination of metal concentrations in sediments using the diffuse gradients in thin films (DGT) technique (Lancaster University, UK), an analytical protocol for determination of metal speciation in sediments (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain), microbiotests for determination of sediment toxicity (University of Ghent, Belgium), a portable whole cell sensors device for heavy metal bioavailability (VITO, Belgium) and a microfabricated sensor array system for Pb concentration profile measurement in the microM range at the liquid-solid interface (University of Geneva, Switzerland).

Biosensing Techniques↗

PubMed2000

Selective trace enrichment of chlorotriazine pesticides from natural waters and sediment samples using terbuthylazine molecularly imprinted polymers

Two molecularly imprinted polymers were synthesized using either dichloromethane or toluene as the porogen and terbuthylazine as the template and were used as solid-phase extraction cartridges for the enrichment of six chlorotriazines (deisopropylatrazine, deethylatrazine, simazine, atrazine, propazine, and terbuthylazine) in natural water and sediment samples. The extracted samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography/diode array detection (LC/DAD). Several washing solvents, as well as different volumes, were tested for their ability to remove the matrix components nonspecifically adsorbed on the sorbents. This cleanup step was shown to be of prime importance to the successful extraction of the pesticides from the aqueous samples. The optimal analytical conditions were obtained when the MIP imprinted using dichloromethane was the sorbent, 2 mL of dichloromethane was used in the washing step, and the preconcentrated analytes were eluted with 8 mL of methanol. The recoveries were higher than 80% for all the chlorotriazines except for propazine (53%) when 50- or 100-mL groundwater samples, spiked at 1 microg/L level, were analyzed. The limits of detection varied from 0.05 to 0.2 microg/L when preconcentrating a 100-mL groundwater sample. Natural sediment samples from the Ebre Delta area (Tarragona, Spain) containing atrazine and deethylatrazine were Soxhlet extracted and analyzed by the methodology developed in this work. No significant interferences from the sample matrix were noticed, thus indicating good selectivity of the MIP sorbents used.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Broad spectrum analysis of 109 priority compounds listed in the 76/464/CEE Council Directive using solid-phase extraction and GC/EI/MS

A single multiresidue method was developed to determine 109 priority organic compounds included in the 76/464/EEC Council Directive on Pollution of the European Union. Such Directive includes 132 priority pollutants with a broad spectrum of polarities to be analyzed in drinking and surface waters, with the aim to protect water quality. From this list, the compounds analyzed included benzidines, chloroanilines, chloronitrobenzenes, chloronitrotoluenes, chlorophenols, chloronitrotoluidines, PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, phenylurea, and triazine herbicides. The method was developed in four steps. First, automated off-line solid-phase extraction using polymeric sorbent Oasis 60 mg cartridges was optimized to trap 109 compounds. Second, gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with electron impact ionization (GC/EI/MS) was used in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode for tentative identification of target analytes. Third, GC/EI/MS under full scan conditions was used for spectrum identification and analyte confirmation. Last, quantification was performed from SIM chromatogram using surrogates and internal standard. This method offered excellent sensitivity and selectivity, and the preconcentration of 200 mL permitted the achievement of limits of detection at the low nanogram/liter level and recoveries between 70 and 120%. Such methodology was applied to determine 109 organic compounds in French surface waters, and several pollutants were detected at levels from ppt to ppb. This multiresidue method developed was highly reproducible and robust and permitted a high sample throughput.

Journal Article↗