In situ measurement of PCB pore water concentration profiles in activated carbon-amended sediment using passive samplers.

Vertical pore water profiles of in situ PCBs were determined in a contaminated mudflat in San Francisco Bay, CA, 30 months after treatment using an activated carbon amendment in the upper layer of the sediment. Pore water concentrations were derived from concentrations of PCBs measured in two passive samplers; polyethylene (PE, 51 µm thick) and polyoxymethylene (POM, 17 µm thick) at different sediment depths. To calculate pore water concentrations from PCB contents in the passive samplers, an equilibrium approach and a first-order uptake model were applied, using five performance reference compounds to estimate pore water sampling rates. Vertical pore water profiles showed good agreement among the measurement and calculation methods with variations within a factor of 2, which seems reasonable for in situ measurements. The close agreements of pore water estimates for the two sampler materials (PE and POM) and the two methods used to translate uptake in samplers to pore water concentrations demonstrate the robustness and suitability of the passive sampling approach. The application of passive samplers in the sediment presents a promising method for site monitoring and remedial treatment evaluation of sorbent amendment or capping techniques that result in changes of pore water concentrations in the sediment subsurface.