Screening of pollutants in water samples and extracts from passive samples and extracts from passive samplers using LC–MS and GC–MS

Water pollution is of major worldwide environmental concern and therefore a priority for all environmental authorities and regulators. Although water pollution reduction measures taken over the past decades have significantly reduced the presence of many known contaminants in water, the number of new and emerging contaminants that can reach the environment is steadily increasing. The use of various passive sampling devices in conjunction with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) techniques to screen pollutants has proved invaluable in identifying these new and emerging contaminants in various water bodies. Used together, these new analytical approaches offer a robust solution to address specific future monitoring needs, particularly those prompted by legislative change.