The presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water is of emerging concern globally due to their widespread usage, environmental persistence, and bio-accumulative tendency.1 Therefore, it is important that analytical methods are accurate and reliable to facilitate the screening and quantitation of multiple PFAS in water matrices. A comprehensive workflow using solid phase extraction and LC/MS/MS was developed for the analysis of more than 100 native and isotopically labeled PFAS in water, with the intention of accelerating and simplifying routine laboratory testing. Compound separation was achieved on an Agilent 1290 Infinity II LC System equipped with a PFC-Free HPLC Conversion Kit and analyzed with the Agilent 6470 Triple Quadrupole LC/MS. The MRM transitions and optimized MS parameters of the analytes were easily and quickly exported from the Agilent PFAS MRM Database for LC/TQ to build the acquisition method. A solid phase extraction (SPE) protocol using an Agilent weak anion exchange cartridge was developed for the extraction of the analytes from the water matrices. Method detection limits were determined using ultrapure water samples and ranged from 0.14 to 14 ng/L for 60 PFAS. The interbatch precision and recovery for these 60 analytes in drinking water were within the acceptable limits of 2.2 to 16.7% RSD and 76 to 119%, respectively. The interbatch precision for 60 PFAS in surface water ranged from 1.6 to 19.9% RSD with recovery of 72 to 120%. This confirmed the method applicability for a routine and more comprehensive analysis to allow an expanded scope of PFAS testing in these two water matrices.
Environmental
Targeted Quantitation of Legacy and Emerging Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Water Using the Agilent 6470 Triple Quadrupole LC/MS System
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