TIMFIE Sampler–A New Time-Integrating, Active, Low-Tech Sampling Device for Quantitative Monitoring of Pesticides in Whole Water

Abstract

The need for inexpensive, time-averaged, quantitative determination of pesticides and other organic pollutants in whole water is not matched by the field sampling procedures available. Our new Time-Integrating, MicroFlow, In-line Extraction (TIMFIE) sampler comprises a low-tech syringe pump driven by a rubber band and connected to a flow restrictor enabling low microliter per minute water flow through a solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge. This allows target compounds to be continuously extracted in the field over 1 week. The extracted water ends up in the syringe, where sample volume is accurately determined. TIMFIE followed by online SPE-LC-MS/MS determination was validated for 72 selected pesticides, and, except for three compounds, detection limit was 0.1−1 ng/L. In a field study, concentrations in TIMFIE samples and in grab samples were compared. Following TIMFIE sampling, on average 19 pesticides per sample were quantified, compared with nine pesticides per sample with grab sampling, as a result of the extra in-field concentration step. Duplicate TIMFIE sampling showed Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.998. Comparing concentrations from TIMFIE sampling to grab sampling resulted in ratios between 0.05 and 16.5 (mean 1.7; r = 0.532), demonstrating a discrepancy between the two sampling strategies and possible underestimation of chronic exposure by grab sampling.

Identification of Pesticide Transformation Products in Surface Water Using Suspect Screening Combined with National Monitoring Data

“…Samples were collected using the newly developed Time-Integrating, MicroFlow, In-line Extraction (TIMFIE) sampler, previously applied in target analysis of pesticides in water. 20 Eight weekly samples were collected at each sampling site during two sampling campaigns of four samples each. The first sampling campaign covered the period right after the intensive spring and early summer pesticide applications and was performed during June and July 2017, while the second campaign covered the late summer and autumn pesticide applications and was performed during September and October 2017 ( Figure S1 in Supporting Information-A).…”

“…Samples were collected using the newly developed Time-Integrating, MicroFlow, In-line Extraction (TIMFIE) sampler, previously applied in target analysis of pesticides in water . Eight weekly samples were collected at each sampling site during two sampling campaigns of four samples each.…”

Occurrence of Z-drugs, benzodiazepines, and ketamine in wastewater in the United States and Mexico during the Covid-19 pandemic

“…An extensive review on passive samplers has been recently published ( Hahn et al, 2021 ). A spectrum of alternative sampling technologies exist to address the limitations inherent to grab sampling (e.g., Jonsson et al, 2019 ; Supowit et al, 2016a ) and these could be applied in future WBE studies in settings including developing countries. Only ketamine has been detected using POCIS or diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) in the Europe and Australia.…”

Linking chemical surface water monitoring and pesticide regulation in selected European countries

“…For the same reasons, passive sampling methods were evaluated and are now officially accepted in FR (Mathon et al 2022 ). Another time-integrating sampler like the recently developed TIMFIE (Jonsson et al 2019 ) might be a further option to lower costs. This is an active, low-cost sampling device for the quantitative determination of organic micropollutants in whole water.…”