Study of Exposure PBDE and Perfluorinated Compounds into Aquatic Ecosystem

In the presented PhD. thesis, problems covering occurrence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and perfluorinated compounds in the environment were solved. The study was focused on identification and further verification of optimal methods in order to determine PBDEs and perfluorinated compounds sampled from the aquatic ecosystem. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers belong to persistent compounds classified as main pollutants; within the environmental constituents, they have been observed particularly in the last decade. For these studies, there were selected surface water matrices and sediments taken in various localities within the river Svratka basin. The analyses were to demonstrate whether they accumulate and remain in these specific matrices for longer time. There we assessed the congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers as follows: BDE-28, 47, 66, 85, 99, 100, 153, 154 and 183. In order to isolate them from matrices, various extraction techniques were used, i.e., ultrasonic extraction, microwave extraction, and pressure solvent extraction. Gas chromatography method with electron capture detection (GC/ECD) was selected for determination. The accomplished studies also assessed basic chemical, physical and environmental characteristics of diphenyl ethers in the environmental constituents. The attention was also paid to perfluorooctanoic compounds (PFOA), (PFOS) and (FOSA); physico-chemical properties of these organic pollutants were characterised and their toxicological and environmental aspects were evaluated. Usability of extraction techniques (ultrasonic extraction, pressure solvent extraction, solid phase extraction) applied to PFCs isolation from sediments samples was assessed. Identification and quantification of these analytes were performed using a high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method (HPLC/MS). After that, the optimized methods applied to real samples. Surface water and sediments were sampled within the river Svratka basin, in particular, from 19 sampling localities. PBDE occurrence was confirmed in sediments samples from the Svratka river (g.kg-1), PBDE were not detected in the surface water samples, their concentrations were below the detection limit, resp.; perfluorinated compounds were not detected in sediments and water samples at all