RiverPOP 2009: Measuring concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and trace metals in Norwegian rivers.

Abstract

A performance evaluation of a range of techniques for the measurement of the concentration of persistent organic pollutants and trace metals was undertaken in the Rivers Glomma and Drammen in 2009. This work focussed on further evaluating techniques that have the potential to substantially improve the reliability and limits of detection of such measurements. Passive sampling techniques were employed to measure dissolved concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and brominated flame retardants while continuous flow centrifugation and time-integrative suspended particulate matter samplers were used to measure contaminants associated with the particulate phase. Contaminant limits of detection were in the low pg L-1 range or below and significant improvements in the sampling procedures and in the reliability of the data were observed. These methods have the potential to become a vital part of the RID monitoring programme for the evaluation of riverine fluxes of contaminants to the North Sea.