A: The concentrations and speciation of analytes should not change after they bind to the binding gels. Thus the DGT devices can be stored in well controlled conditions until it is convenient to analyse them.
We strongly recommend rinsing your devices with MQ/deionized water immediately after retrieval. This treatment is important to get rid of any solid particles or microorganisms attached to the device’s surface, as there is the potential for these solid phases to leak further analyte during transportation or storage.
If the storage time prior to analysis is longer than two weeks dehydration may be a problem. It can make the separation of binding and diffusive gels difficult. We recommend that, for times longer than 2 weeks, DGT devices are packed in individual clean plastic bags with a small volume of MQ/deionized water.