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 fragmen 
tation. 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.