The last few decades has seen a huge increase in the amount of data we collect to monitor our environment. But making sure we do so in a representative and comparable way is vital for extracting valuable information on what we are monitoring whether it be pollutants, contaminants or climate change.
In this HOT paper Thorsten Pohlert and colleagues from the Federal Institute of Hydrology have taken on the mammoth task of analysing the effect of sampling techniques for suspended matter in stream water in a 5 year dataset. They look at the effect that three different sampling devices – continuous-flow centrifuges, floating collectors and sedimentation tanks – have on the on subsequent particle-size distribution and concentration of total organic carbon and selected persistent organic pollutants.
Download the article to read their recommendations on the type of sampling technique that is most suitable for the nature of the sample and the analyte – it’s free to access for 4 weeks:
Effects of sampling techniques on physical parameters and concentrations of selected persistent organic pollutants in suspended matter
Thorsten Pohlert, Gudrun Hillebrand and Vera Breitung
J. Environ. Monit., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1EM10045A, Paper
