Passive samplers, as surrogates for biological monitoring, to measure emerging (micro)pollutants in the marine environment

The extensive use of organic chemicals for different applications (industry, agriculture, pharmaceutical usage, etc.) leads to low-concentration but long-term exposure of the aquatic environment to their residues. The protection of our coasts and marine waters is a long-standing part of the European Community environmental policy, which is also broader internationally regulated. Various organisations involved (a.o. OSPAR, USEPA, etc.) stress the need for a more integrated, consistent and economically favourable strategy to meet legislative and international obligations. In the context of a recently started Belgian project, we are studying a relatively new approach making use of passive samplers and hybrid high-resolution mass-spec- trometry coupled to liquid chromatography for analysing known and unknown emerging organic micro-pollutants in the ma- rine environment. Amongst others, attention is given to endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) including steroidal hor- mones. In this particular study, we present the development and optimization of the analytical method to measure multiple steroidal EDCs. The analytes were separated on a 1.9 μm Hypersil Gold column (10 mm x 2 mm) and quantified in full-scan by a Q-Exactive benchtopTM mass spectrometer. Chromatographic variables like mobile phase flow, acidification, and column oven temperature were optimized by injecting analytical standards. By analysing sea extracts, the mass-spectrometric pa- rameters (sheath gas, auxiliary gas, sweep gas, discharge current, capillary temperature, S-lens RF, and vaporizer tempera- ture) were optimized. Next, 55 steroidal EDCs were successfully extracted from substitute ocean water. In a final step, this method will be validated and applied for the targeted analysis of steroidal EDCs in the marine environment.