In 2011, an interlaboratory study on the use of passive samplers for the monitoring of emerging pollutants was organised by the NORMAN Association together with the European Commission DG Joint Research Centre in support of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD).
This interlaboratory study was coordinated by Branislav Vrana (Water Research Institute/RECETOX).
The study compared the performance of various available passive sampler designs at a reference site to allow a realistic evaluation of passive sampling variability for tested groups of compounds (polar pesticides, pharmaceuticals, steroid hormones, fluorinated surfactants, brominated flame retardants, bisphenol A and triclosan), and investigated whether a particular passive sampling method provides a satisfactory result within an agreed performance interval.
The results of the study were presented in a workshop organised by the NORMAN Network together with DG JRC as an "Innovation Transfer Event". The first day of the workshop focused on the state of the art of passive water sampling of organic contaminants and its application for regulatory monitoring under the Water Framework Directive.
On the second day the results of the inter-laboratory study on passive sampling of emerging pollutants were presented. The oral presentations can be downloaded as pdf files (see below). The study results will be used to inform EU Member States about the possible application of passive sampling for the monitoring of these compounds under the WFD. The report of interlaboratory study is due to published on the NORMAN website by the end of 2013.
Introduction to deriving EQS; where would passive sampling come in?