Determination and Monitorization of Organic Contaminants in Sewage Sludge, Soil and Plant Tissues: Optimization and Validation of a Method Using QuEChERS

Poster Presentation

Prepared by A. Ribeiro1, E. P. Mateus2, P. Guedes2, A. Mosca2, N. Couto2
1 - FFCT-UNL- New University of Lisbon, DCEA-FCT-UNL, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, Portugal
2 - FCT-UNL, DCEA-FCT-UNL, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516, Portugal


Contact Information: abr@fct.unl.pt; 351-212-9483


ABSTRACT

Despite the existent and a future European sludge directive (European Commission, 27 April 2000; draft) to improve the monitoring of sludge quality many questions remain about the risks associated with the presence of so-called emerging substances in sludge used as raw material and/or sludge composts. The re-use of this sludge is being considered a potential viable option to maintain/enhance the recycling of elements with socio-economic value such as nutrients and organic matter.

In this work, an analytical methodology is presented enabling the determination of nine organic compounds in sewage sludge, soil and plant tissues. The target analytes are 17β-oestradiol (E2) and 17α-ethinyloestradiol (EE2); bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (OP) and octylphenol (OP), triclosan (TCS; 5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)-phenol).
The sample preparation procedure is based on the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) analytical approach, following gas and/or liquid chromatography for analyte separation and analysis.

Financial support was provided by FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IRSES-269289-ELECTROACROSS - Electrokinetics across disciplines and continents: an integrated approach to finding new strategies for sustainable development and PTDC/ECM/111860/2009 - Electrokinetic treatment of sewage sludge and membrane concentrate: Phosphorus recovery and dewatering. N. Couto acknowledges Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia for her Post-Doc fellowship (SFRH/BPD/81122/2011).