Comparison and calibration of diverse passive samplers used for the air sampling of pesticides during a regional sampling monitoring campaign

Abstract Passive and active samplers were compared for the monitoring of pesticides in the atmosphere during field campaigns undertaken in Alsace (northeastern France). Two different types of passive samplers were compared: XAD-2 resin and carbon-based foam. The results show that active and passive sampling gives comparable results for the sampling of atmospheric pesticides. It is assumed that passive sampling could be used as a low-cost and simple alternative due to the number and quantities of pesticides detected, and the use of carbon-based foam as a passive sampler permits the detection of more molecules than those detected by the XAD®-2 resin, which remains the most efficient sampler for adsorbing more volatile pesticides, mecoprop-p, carbendazim, fluroxypyr, and isoproturon, among others. Thus, NMC@SiC was found to be a better adsorbent than XAD®-2 resin for the collection of a wide range of pesticides in the air. The calculated sampling rates varied between 0.43 and 6.14 m3 d−1 for the XAD®-2 resin and between 0.08 and 6.80 m3 d−1 for the NMC@SiC foam and are of the same order of magnitude and comparable to the literature values.