125

5.4.4  PCAs  in  water
Only  two  sea  water  samples  were  analysed  due  to  the  expected  very  low  concentrations.
Samples  of  100  1  were  taken  at  the  stations  T9a  (55°0,00'N/8°15,0'0,  Lister  Tief)  und
Cuxhaven  (53°52,0'N/8°44,5'O)  by  the  Federal  Maritime  and  Hydrographic  Agency  in
Hamburg  (Germany,  Bundesamt  fur  Seeschifffahrt  und  Hydrographie  (BSH))  in
September  2002.
100  1  of  water  were  extracted  at  the  BSH  with  1000  ml  of  n-pentane.  Prefractionation
was  carried  out  on  silica  gel.  Fraction  1  was  eluted  with  dichloromethane/n-hexane  1+1
(v/v)  and  fraction  2  with  acetone.
No  PCAs  could  be  detected  by  EI-MS/MS  at  a  detection  limit  of  0.4  ng/1  water,  which
corresponds  to  an  absolute  detection  limit  of  0.2  ng  for  the  most  abundant  fragmentation. ­
  The  determination  of  PCAs  in  surface  water  in  Germany  in  1987  and  1994
showed  a  remarked  decrease  of  concentrations  (with  the  reservation  concerning  the
reliability  of  data  given  in  chapter  5.3.3.4)  as  Table  39  shows  (WHO,  1996).  50-190
ng/1  were  detected  in  1994  compared  to  several  thousands  of  ng/1  in  1987.  However,  no
information  about  blank  controls  are  presented,  which  is  a  very  critical  factor.
Since  then,  a  further  decrease  in  the  PCA-concentrations  in  surface  water  can  be
assumed  due  to  the  partly  ban  of  the  use  of  sPCA.  Moreover,  a  further  dilution  takes
place  in  the  Sea.  Therefore,  despite  the  currently  very  low  detection  limit  of  0.4  ng/1  no
PCA  was  found  sea  water.