Title: Comparison of extraction techniques for sediment and biota matrices
Author: James Deuchar
Author: Gill Hardy
Author: Environment Agency
Document Type: Monograph
Annotation: Environment Agency Project ID:EAPRJOUT_346, Representation ID: 84, Object ID: 1691
Abstract:
The Environment Agency is required to monitor against the “standstill” requirement of European Committee (EC) Directives concerning the contamination of solid material (soil, sediment, plant, and animal tissue) by pesticides and other organic compounds. The traditional Soxhlet extraction of these compounds from the solid is time consuming and uses significant solvent quantities with high energy and water resource. Newer techniques such as Microwave digestion (MASE), Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) and Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) are more efficient, using considerably less solvent, less energy and do not require water. However the improved efficiency of these techniques could give higher recoveries of organic compounds absorbed in solid materials and produce a step-change in the environmental data. By using an analytical protocol for extracting certified reference material (sediment and animal tissue) by each technique, analytical results are obtained which can be statistically evaluated. This enables comparison of the extraction techniques with respect to the uncertainty (experimental error) and the difference in numerical values of the final results. The project data shows that the different extraction techniques do not produce significantly different data when compared to Soxhlet extraction.
Publisher: Environment Agency
Subject Keywords: Rivers; Canals; Estuaries; Coastal waters; Water quality; Pesticides; Data processing; Brackishwater environment; Marine environment; Freshwater ecology
Extent: 37
Permalink: http://www.environmentdata.org/archive/ealit:4406
Total file downloads: 340
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