Analysis of ultrashort/short-chain PFAS in water samples

Due to their ubiquitous occurrence in aquatic environments, measuring ultrashort-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in various source waters to monitor their presence and the potential for human exposure has become very important. However, with carbon chain lengths of less than C4, these small, highly polar compounds are difficult to analyze using standard PFAS tests that are based on reversed-phased liquid chromatography (RPLC). Restek Corporation presents an accurate, reliable analytical LC-MS/MS method for PFAS in water that was developed to specifically quantify C1 to C4 PFAS in both potable and non-potable sources. A direct injection workflow was implemented to simplify the testing process and to avoid potential contamination originating from poor sample preparation procedures.