Analysis for Perfluorocarboxylic Acids/Anions in Surface Waters and Precipitation Using GC−MS and Analysis of PFOA from Large-Volume Samples

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2006 papers

Abstract

The presence of perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) in the environment is of increasing concern, following the discovery of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAs) in wildlife and human samples. Here we report a method for the determination of (C2−C9) PFCAs by preparing the 2,4-difluoroanilides of the acids and analyzing by using GC−MS. Detector response was linear over the range 0.1−1000 pg of each perfluoroalkyl anilide. A complete suite of PFCAs can be analyzed in an individual sample with the PFCAs detected at levels similar to or lower than those determined by other methods. For a comparison between the present method and the more common LC−MS/MS method, 10 replicates of a sewage treatment plant discharge were analyzed for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) using both methods. Results were nearly identical with low standard deviation (GC−MS 30.9 ± 1.88 ng/L; while the LC−MS/MS 34.7 ± 3.05 ng/L). PFCA concentrations for water samples collected from depth profiles in mid-Lake Ontario were analyzed by GC−MS with most PFCAs (C2−C8) present above the detection limit (0.5 ng/L). Major PFCAs were trifluoroacetate (TFA) (100 ng/L) and perfluorobutanoate (PFBA) (> 5 ng/L). Results for PFOA (2.5 ng/L) were in good agreement with recent analyses by LC−MS/MS. PFCAs were also detected in the precipitation samples at concentrations lower than those of the samples from the lake profiles or sewage treatment plants (STPs) effluent. Since PFOA levels may be less than the lower detection limit (<0.5 ng/L) in 1 L samples, a method for large volumes using XAD-7 resin was developed that allows detection to 0.01 ng/L. This method was applied to Lake Superior samples which produced good agreement for C6−C9 PFCAs between regular analysis (GC−MS) and the XAD-7 followed by GC−MS analysis.

Related Papers

• → Perfluorinated compounds in soil, surface water, and groundwater from rural areas in eastern China(2015)219 cited
• → Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) exposure in relation to the kidneys: A review of current available literature(2023)48 cited
• → Perfluorooctanoic Acid-Disturbed Serum and Liver Lipidome in C57BL/6 Mice(2022)7 cited
• → Dietary exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS): a review of recent literature(2017)24 cited
• Elimination of Perfluorooctanoic Acid Emulsifier(2007)