2. Analytical methodology for the determination of emerging pollutants in aquatic samples

2.1 Sampling: Quality control and Storage

Different sampling techniques can be used to collect water samples for the analysis of organic compounds such as emerging pollutants, but the aim of a sampling campaign is to obtain representative samples of the aqueous system being investigated because this aim is of primary importance for a relevant description of the studied environment. A representative sample is one that typifies (“represents”) in time and space that part of the aqueous system to be studied, and is delineated by the objectives and scope of the study. Representativeness of the samples is a very important issue in monitoring of environmental pollutants in general, but it is even more important for the transformation products (TPs) of the emerging pollutants, such as pharmaceutical...