DETERMINATION OF ORGANOCHLORINES IN SEA-WATER - AN ASSESSMENT

Multi-matrix multi-determinand methods of analysis are needed when stu dying the fate and transport of trace organic compounds in the aquatic environment, These methods are cost effective and provide information about the distribution of the determinands within the sample. The cur rent method of this laboratory for the determination of persistent org anochlorine contaminants was extended to the analysis of large volumes of sea water (28 l) and suspended particles. The method was validated in each stage of the analysis by a series of experiments using spiked samples, reference materials and replicates. The results showed that the precision for the determination of the organochlorines in the aque ous and particulate fractions were similar, at the sub-nanogram per li tre level, whilst the initial extraction from the sample matrix contri buted over 80% of the total variance in the analysis.