Grab Sampling or Passive Samplers? A Comparative Approach to Water Quality Monitoring

Pesticide contamination poses significant threats to both humans and the environment, with residues frequently detected in surface waters worldwide. This study compares the effectiveness of passive samplers (POCIS and Chemcatcher), and grab sampling coupled with Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) and Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) for monitoring pesticides in surface waters. The comparative study was conducted at three sites in Victoria, Australia, representing different land uses. A total of 230 pesticides were screened, with 79 different pesticides detected overall. SBSE extracted the highest number of pesticides from grab samples, followed by SPE and passive samplers. The study highlights the complementarity of different sampling and extraction techniques in detecting a wide range of pesticides. The study also explores the suitability of these techniques for citizen science applications, emphasizing the importance of selecting appropriate methods based on specific research objectives and available resources. The findings underscore the need for a tiered approach, combining passive samplers for initial screening and grab sampling for quantitative analysis, to develop a robust monitoring strategy for protecting water quality.