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Galletto M, Ververi C, Massano M, Alladio E, Vincenti M, Salomone A. Development and validation of the UHPLC-MS/MS method for the quantitative determination of 25 PFAS in dried blood spots. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024:10.1007/s00216-024-05484-6. [PMID: 39160438 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-024-05484-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic fluorine-containing compounds largely used in industrial and consumer applications. They tend to bioaccumulate in the human body after intake from various sources in daily life. Following repeated exposure to PFAS, a broad range of adverse health outcomes has been reported. Consequently, monitoring PFAS levels in human blood is of paramount importance for public health policies. In contrast with traditional venipuncture, dried blood spots (DBS) constitute a reliable, cheap, and less invasive technique to allow microsampling by capillary blood collected on a specific device. This work aimed to develop and validate an innovative analytical method, combining quantitative DBS with UHPLC-MS/MS instrumentation to identify and quantify 25 PFAS. The extraction procedure was developed and optimized within the range 2-100 ng/mL. Specifically, fortified blood was applied on Capitainer®B devices providing 10 μL of blood volume through a microfluidic channel. After 3 h of drying, the extraction was performed by methanol under sonication, followed by centrifugation. Then, the extraction solvent was evaporated; the residue was reconstituted with the mobile phase solution. The validated method evidenced good sensitivity, with limits of detection ranging from 0.4 ng/mL (PFODA, PFOS) to 1.0 ng/mL (PFOA, 3,6-OPFHpA). The ± 20% acceptability criteria established for intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were fulfilled for all analytes. High recovery-above 80%-was recorded, whereas significant matrix effect resulted in ion enhancement (> 50%) for 13 analytes. In conclusion, the proposed workflow proved to be reliable, fit for purpose, and easily adaptable in the laboratory routine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marta Massano
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Marco Vincenti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Centro Regionale Antidoping, Orbassano, TO, Italy
| | - Alberto Salomone
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Centro Regionale Antidoping, Orbassano, TO, Italy
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2
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López A, Fuentes-Ferragud E, Mora MJ, Blasco-Ferre J, Barber G, Lopez-Labrador FX, Camaró M, Coscollà C. Air quality of health facilities in Spain. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 362:142615. [PMID: 38880262 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The present study examines indoor air pollution in health facilities, focusing on compounds from various sources, such as industrial products, healthcare activities and building materials. It assesses chemical and microbiological concentrations in two public hospitals, two public healthcare centres, and one public health laboratory in Spain. Measurements included indoor air quality, microbiological contaminants, ambient parameters and non-target analysis across ten different locations. Outdoor air quality was also assessed in the surroundings of the hospitals. The results showed that around 350 substances were tentatively identified at a high confidence level, with over 50 % of compounds classified as of high toxicological risk. Three indoor and 26 outdoor compounds were fully confirmed with standards. These confirmed substances were linked to medical, industrial and agricultural activities. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) results revealed that CO, CO2, formaldehyde (HCHO), O3 and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) showed average values above the recommended guideline levels in at least one of the evaluated locations. Moreover, maximum concentrations detected for CO, HCHO, O3 and TVOCs in hospitals surpassed those previously reported in the literature. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in three air environments, corresponding to COVID-19 patient areas. Fungi and bacteria concentrations were acceptable in all assessed locations, identifying different fungi genera, such as Penicillium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Alternaria and Botrytis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio López
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, 21, Avenida Catalunya, 46020, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Esther Fuentes-Ferragud
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, 21, Avenida Catalunya, 46020, Valencia, Spain; Environmental and Public Health Analytical Chemistry, Research Institute for Pesticides and Water, University Jaume I, S/N, Avenida Sos Baynat, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - María José Mora
- Foundation for the Promotion of the Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Xativa/Ontinyent Department, 21, Ctra. Xàtiva-Silla, km. 2, Xàtiva, 46800, Valencia, Spain; Foundation for the Promotion of the Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Alcoy Departament, Polígono Caramanxell, s/n. 03804 Alcoy, Alicante, Spain
| | - Jordi Blasco-Ferre
- Foundation for the Promotion of the Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Xativa/Ontinyent Department, 21, Ctra. Xàtiva-Silla, km. 2, Xàtiva, 46800, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gema Barber
- Foundation for the Promotion of the Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Xativa/Ontinyent Department, 21, Ctra. Xàtiva-Silla, km. 2, Xàtiva, 46800, Valencia, Spain
| | - F Xavier Lopez-Labrador
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, 21, Avenida Catalunya, 46020, Valencia, Spain; Microbiology Department, University of Valencia Medical School, 13, Av. Blasco Ibáñez, 46010, Valencia, Spain; CIBERESP, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Institute of Health Carlos III), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marisa Camaró
- Public Health Laboratory of Valencia, 21, Avenida Catalunya, 46020 Valencia, Spain
| | - Clara Coscollà
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencia Region, FISABIO-Public Health, 21, Avenida Catalunya, 46020, Valencia, Spain
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3
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Wallace MAG, Smeltz MG, Mattila JM, Liberatore HK, Jackson SR, Shields EP, Xhani X, Li EY, Johansson JH. A review of sample collection and analytical methods for detecting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in indoor and outdoor air. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:142129. [PMID: 38679180 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a unique class of chemicals synthesized to aid in industrial processes, fire-fighting products, and to benefit consumer products such as clothing, cosmetics, textiles, carpets, and coatings. The widespread use of PFAS and their strong carbon-fluorine bonds has led to their ubiquitous presence throughout the world. Airborne transport of PFAS throughout the atmosphere has also contributed to environmental pollution. Due to the potential environmental and human exposure concerns of some PFAS, research has extensively focused on water, soil, and organismal detection, but the presence of PFAS in the air has become an area of growing concern. Methods to measure polar PFAS in various matrices have been established, while the investigation of polar and nonpolar PFAS in air is still in its early development. This literature review aims to present the last two decades of research characterizing PFAS in outdoor and indoor air, focusing on active and passive air sampling and analytical methods. The PFAS classes targeted and detected in air samples include fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), perfluoroalkane sulfonamides (FASAs), perfluoroalkane sulfonamido ethanols (FASEs), perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), and perfluorinated sulfonic acids (PFSAs). Although the manufacturing of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) has been largely phased out, these two PFAS are still often detected in air samples. Additionally, recent estimates indicate that there are thousands of PFAS that are likely present in the air that are not currently monitored in air methods. Advances in air sampling methods are needed to fully characterize the atmospheric transport of PFAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ariel Geer Wallace
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Air Methods and Characterization Division, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
| | - Marci G Smeltz
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Air Methods and Characterization Division, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
| | - James M Mattila
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA.
| | - Hannah K Liberatore
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Air Methods and Characterization Division, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
| | - Stephen R Jackson
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Air Methods and Characterization Division, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
| | - Erin P Shields
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Air Methods and Characterization Division, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
| | - Xhensila Xhani
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA; Johnston Community College, 245 College Road, Smithfield, NC, 27577, USA.
| | - Emily Y Li
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling, Air Methods and Characterization Division, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA.
| | - Jana H Johansson
- Department of Thematic Studies, Environmental Change, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
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4
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Aborode AT, Oladoye PO, Ogunleye SC, Awoyemi RF, Ajagbe AO, Ajibade SB, Adesola RO. PFAS Research in Nigeria: Where Are We? ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2024; 18:11786302241259351. [PMID: 38828042 PMCID: PMC11143804 DOI: 10.1177/11786302241259351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
The persistence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment and their possible negative health impacts have attracted global attention. In Nigeria, there have been instances of PFAS contamination in many environmental areas, such as water sources. This paper raised concerns regarding limited research of PFAS in Nigeria, potential human exposure, and environmental consequences in Nigeria. This paper examines the present status of PFAS research in Nigeria, the sources from which contamination occurs, the environmental effects, and the implications for human health. This underscores the holes in understanding and areas of focus for study, underscoring the necessity for thorough evaluations of potential risks and regulatory actions to reduce exposure to PFAS and protect public health and the environment in Nigeria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Olusakin Oladoye
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Seto Charles Ogunleye
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
| | | | - Abayomi Oyeyemi Ajagbe
- Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | | | - Ridwan Olamilekan Adesola
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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5
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Boatman AK, Chappel JR, Polera ME, Dodds JN, Belcher SM, Baker ES. Assessing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Fish Fillet Using Non-Targeted Analyses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.01.555938. [PMID: 37732276 PMCID: PMC10508736 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.01.555938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals that are persistent and highly stable in the environment. Fish consumption has been identified as a key route of PFAS exposure for humans. However, routine fish monitoring targets only a handful of PFAS, and non-targeted analyses have largely only evaluated fish from heavily PFAS-impacted waters. Here, we evaluated PFAS in fish fillets from recreational and drinking water sources in central North Carolina to assess whether PFAS are present in these fillets that would not be detected by conventional targeted methods. We used liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry, and mass spectrometry (LC-IMS-MS) to collect full scan feature data, performed suspect screening using an in-house library of 100 PFAS for high confidence feature identification, searched for additional PFAS features using non-targeted data analyses, and quantified perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in the fillet samples. A total of 36 PFAS were detected in the fish fillets, including 19 that would not be detected using common targeted methods, with a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 22 in individual fish. Median fillet PFOS levels were concerningly high at 11.6 to 42.3 ppb, and no significant correlation between PFOS levels and number of PFAS per fish was observed. Future PFAS monitoring in this region should target more of these 36 PFAS, and other regions not considered heavily PFAS contaminated should consider incorporating non-targeted analyses into ongoing fish monitoring studies.
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Feng C, Lin Y, Le S, Ji J, Chen Y, Wang G, Xiao P, Zhao Y, Lu D. Suspect, Nontarget Screening, and Toxicity Prediction of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the Landfill Leachate. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:4737-4750. [PMID: 38408453 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Landfills are the final stage of urban wastes containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). PFASs in the landfill leachate may contaminate the surrounding groundwater. As major environmental pollutants, emerging PFASs have raised global concern. Besides the widely reported legacy PFASs, the distribution and potential toxic effects of numerous emerging PFASs remain unclear, and unknown PFASs still need discovery and characterization. This study proposed a comprehensive method for PFAS screening in leachate samples using suspect and nontarget analysis. A total of 48 PFASs from 10 classes were identified; nine novel PFASs including eight chloroperfluoropolyether carboxylates (Cl-PFPECAs) and bistriflimide (HNTf2) were reported for the first time in the leachate, where Cl-PFPECA-3,1 and Cl-PFPECA-2,2 were first reported in environmental media. Optimized molecular docking models were established for prioritizing the PFASs with potential activity against peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α and estrogen receptor α. Our results indicated that several emerging PFASs of N-methyl perfluoroalkyl sulfonamido acetic acids (N-MeFASAAs), n:3 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (n:3 FTCA), and n:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (n:2 FTSA) have potential health risks that cannot be ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Feng
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - Yuanjie Lin
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - Sunyang Le
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - Jieyun Ji
- Shanghai Changning Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200051, China
| | - Yuhang Chen
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - Guoquan Wang
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - Ping Xiao
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - Yunfeng Zhao
- China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100021, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Dasheng Lu
- Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Health Impact Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Shanghai 200336, China
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7
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Reynolds AJ, Smith AM, Qiu TA. Detection, Quantification, and Isomer Differentiation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Using MALDI-TOF with Trapped Ion Mobility. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024; 35:317-325. [PMID: 38251632 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of organic compounds that have attracted global attention for their persistence in the environment, exposure to biological organisms, and their adverse health effects. There is an urgent need to develop analytical methodologies for the characterization of PFAS in various sample matrices. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) represents a chromatography-free MS method that performs laser-based ionization and in situ analysis on samples. In this study, we present PFAS analysis by MALDI-time-of-flight (TOF) MS with trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS), which provides an additional dimension of gas phase separation based on the size-to-charge ratios. MALDI matrix composition and key instrument parameters were optimized to produce different ranges of calibration curves. Parts per billion (ppb) range of calibration curves were achieved for a list of legacy and alternative perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs) and perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), while ion mobility spectrum filtering enabled parts per trillion (ppt) range of calibration curves for PFSAs. We also successfully demonstrated the separation of three perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) structural isomers in the gas phase using TIMS. Our results demonstrated the new development of utilizing MALDI-TOF-MS coupled with TIMS for fast, quantitative, and sensitive analysis of PFAS, paving ways to future high-throughput and in situ analysis of PFAS such as MS imaging applications.
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Pavlovic R, Draghi S, Pellegrini A, Fornesi Silva C, Di Cesare F, Curone G, Arioli F, Fidani M. High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Non-Targeted Detection of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Roe Deer ( Capreolus capreolus). Molecules 2024; 29:617. [PMID: 38338361 PMCID: PMC10856453 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29030617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Among wildlife species, roe deer stands out as a valuable indicator of environmental pollution due to its ecological significance and role as a game animal. The assessment of poly- and perfluoro substances (PFASs) bioaccumulation is of the utmost importance, relying on the liver and muscles as the main organs of interest. The study concerned the identification of 60 PFAS through a non-target workflow analysis based on HPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry in a homogeneous group of 18 female roe deer species. The developed strategy allowed us to individuate the 60 PFAS compounds with different levels of confirmation. Apart from seven PFASs identified via analytical standards, the remaining fifty-three features were identified with CL 2 or 3. Moreover, by applying a differential statistic approach, it was possible to distinguish the bioaccumulation patterns in the liver and muscle, identifying 12 PFAS upregulated in the muscle and 20 in the liver. The analysis reveals that specific PFAS compounds present exclusively in either the muscle or in the liver. The study emphasises the specificity of the liver and muscle as significant bioaccumulation sites for PFAS, raising questions about the underlying mechanisms of this process. In conclusion, the presented non-targeted PFAS analysis workflow evidenced promising and reliable results, successfully demonstrating its feasibility in the field of environmental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radmila Pavlovic
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility (ProMeFa), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy;
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.C.); (F.A.)
| | - Susanna Draghi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.C.); (F.A.)
| | - Alberto Pellegrini
- UNIRELAB Srl, Via Gramsci 70, 20019 Settimo Milanese, Italy; (A.P.); (C.F.S.); (M.F.)
| | - Claudia Fornesi Silva
- UNIRELAB Srl, Via Gramsci 70, 20019 Settimo Milanese, Italy; (A.P.); (C.F.S.); (M.F.)
| | - Federica Di Cesare
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.C.); (F.A.)
| | - Giulio Curone
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.C.); (F.A.)
| | - Francesco Arioli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.C.); (F.A.)
| | - Marco Fidani
- UNIRELAB Srl, Via Gramsci 70, 20019 Settimo Milanese, Italy; (A.P.); (C.F.S.); (M.F.)
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Zhang M, Zhao Y, Bui B, Tang L, Xue J, Chen M, Chen W. The Latest Sensor Detection Methods for per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. Crit Rev Anal Chem 2024:1-17. [PMID: 38234139 DOI: 10.1080/10408347.2023.2299233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have emerged as a prominent environmental pollutant in recent years, primarily due to their tendency to accumulate and magnify in both the environment and living organisms. The entry of PFASs into the environment can have detrimental effects on human health. Hence, it is crucial to actively monitor and detect the presence of PFASs. The current standard detection method of PFAS is the combination of chromatography and mass spectrometry. However, this requires expensive instruments, extra sample pretreatment steps, complicated operation and long analysis time. As a result, new methods that do not rely on chromatography and mass spectrometry have been developed and applied. These alternative methods mainly include optical and electrochemical sensor methods, which offer great potential in terms of real-time field detection, instrument miniaturization, shorter analysis time, and reduced detection cost. This review provides a summary of recent advancements in PFAS detection sensors. We categorize and explain the principles and mechanisms of these sensors, and compare their limits of detection and sensitivity. Finally, we discuss the future challenges and improvements needed for PFAS sensors, such as field application, commercialization, and other related issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Zhang
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yanan Zhao
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Brian Bui
- Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
| | - Liming Tang
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Jiajia Xue
- Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Mingli Chen
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
- School of CHIPS, Xi'an Jiaotong-Loverpool University, Suzhou, China
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10
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Zweigle J, Bugsel B, Fabregat-Palau J, Zwiener C. PFΔScreen - an open-source tool for automated PFAS feature prioritization in non-target HRMS data. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024; 416:349-362. [PMID: 38030884 PMCID: PMC10761406 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-05070-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a huge group of anthropogenic chemicals with unique properties that are used in countless products and applications. Due to the high stability of their C-F bonds, PFAS or their transformation products (TPs) are persistent in the environment, leading to ubiquitous detection in various samples worldwide. Since PFAS are industrial chemicals, the availability of authentic PFAS reference standards is limited, making non-target screening (NTS) approaches based on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) necessary for a more comprehensive characterization. NTS usually is a time-consuming process, since only a small fraction of the detected chemicals can be identified. Therefore, efficient prioritization of relevant HRMS signals is one of the most crucial steps. We developed PFΔScreen, a Python-based open-source tool with a simple graphical user interface (GUI) to perform efficient feature prioritization using several PFAS-specific techniques such as the highly promising MD/C-m/C approach, Kendrick mass defect analysis, diagnostic fragments (MS2), fragment mass differences (MS2), and suspect screening. Feature detection from vendor-independent MS raw data (mzML, data-dependent acquisition) is performed via pyOpenMS (or custom feature lists) with subsequent calculations for prioritization and identification of PFAS in both HPLC- and GC-HRMS data. The PFΔScreen workflow is presented on four PFAS-contaminated agricultural soil samples from south-western Germany. Over 15 classes of PFAS (more than 80 single compounds with several isomers) could be identified, including four novel classes, potentially TPs of the precursors fluorotelomer mercapto alkyl phosphates (FTMAPs). PFΔScreen can be used within the Python environment and is easily automatically installable and executable on Windows. Its source code is freely available on GitHub ( https://github.com/JonZwe/PFAScreen ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Zweigle
- Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Boris Bugsel
- Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Joel Fabregat-Palau
- Hydrogeochemistry, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Zwiener
- Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstraße 94-96, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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11
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Goukeh MN, Abichou T, Tang Y. Measurement of fluorotelomer alcohols based on solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and its application in solid waste study. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 345:140460. [PMID: 37852384 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
This work developed a method based on solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) for the measurement of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) in gas samples. The method quantification limit (MQL) is 6-7 ng/L for 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohols (6:2 FTOH) and 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohols (8:2 FTOH). In contrast to common methods such as thermal desorption combined with GC-MS, it needs neither pre-concentration equipment nor large sample volume. The extraction-evaporation-GC/MS is commonly used in literature for FTOHs measurement in solids samples. We developed a method to measure FTOHs in solid samples by adding solvent extraction prior to headspace SPME-GC/MS. The extraction-headspace SPME-GC/MS method has a quantification limit of 40-43 ng per gram for 6:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOH in solid samples. This is comparable to the MQLs for the extraction-evaporation-GC/MS method. Removing the solvent evaporation step decreased the risk of contamination and loss of analytes. The developed methods were successfully used in three examples of solid waste study: 1) measuring 6:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOH above the MQL in gas emissions from a closed landfill, 2) finding 6:2 FTOH above MQL in 9 of 31 solid consumer products, and 3) finding that the release of 6:2 FTOH in simulated landfills containing popcorn bags was linear at a rate of 3.15 ng/g popcorn bags-day and that partial 6:2 FTOH was from the hydrolysis of precursors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mojtaba Nouri Goukeh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32310, United States
| | - Tarek Abichou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32310, United States
| | - Youneng Tang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, 2525 Pottsdamer Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32310, United States.
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12
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Kim Y, Pike KA, Gray R, Sprankle JW, Faust JA, Edmiston PL. Non-targeted identification and semi-quantitation of emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in US rainwater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2023; 25:1771-1787. [PMID: 36341487 DOI: 10.1039/d2em00349j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution mass spectrometry was used to screen for emerging per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in precipitation samples collected in summer 2019 at seven sites in the United States. We previously quantified the concentration of ten PFAS in the rainwater samples using the method of isotopic dilution (Pike et al., 2021). Nine of these targeted analytes belonged to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Screening Level list, herein referred to as EPA-monitored analytes. In this new work, we identify emerging PFAS compounds by liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Several emerging PFAS were detected across all samples, with the most prevalent compounds being C3-C8 hydrogen-substituted perfluorocarboxylic acids (H-PFCAs) and fluorotelomer carboxylic acids (FTCAs). Concentrations of emerging PFAS were in the 10-1000 ng L-1 range (approximately 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than EPA-monitored PFAS) at all sites except Wooster, OH, where concentrations were even higher, with a maximum estimated ΣPFAS of 16 400 ng L-1. The elevated levels of emerging PFAS in the Wooster samples were predominantly even and odd chain-length H-PFCAs and FTCAs comprised of complex mixtures of branched isomers. This unique composition did not match any known manufactured PFAS formulation reported to date, but it could represent thermally transformed by-products emitted by a local point source. Overall, the results indicate that PFAS outside of the standard analyte lists make up a significant and previously unappreciated fraction of contaminants in rainwater collected within the central U.S.-and potentially world-wide-especially in proximity to localized point sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubin Kim
- Department of Chemistry, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA.
| | - Kyndal A Pike
- Department of Chemistry, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA.
- Department of Mathematical & Computational Sciences, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA
| | - Rebekah Gray
- Department of Chemistry, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA.
| | - Jameson W Sprankle
- Department of Chemistry, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA.
- Department of Earth Sciences, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA
| | | | - Paul L Edmiston
- Department of Chemistry, College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA.
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13
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Gkika IS, Xie G, van Gestel CAM, Ter Laak TL, Vonk JA, van Wezel AP, Kraak MHS. Research Priorities for the Environmental Risk Assessment of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:2302-2316. [PMID: 37589402 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of ubiquitously applied persistent industrial chemicals. The field of PFAS environmental research is developing rapidly, but suffers from substantial biases toward specific compounds, environmental compartments, and organisms. The aim of our study was therefore to highlight current developments and to identify knowledge gaps and subsequent research needs that would contribute to a comprehensive environmental risk assessment for PFAS. To this end, we consulted the open literature and databases and found that knowledge of the environmental fate of PFAS is based on the analysis of <1% of the compounds categorized as PFAS. Moreover, soils and suspended particulate matter remain largely understudied. The bioavailability, bioaccumulation, and food web transfer studies of PFAS also focus on a very limited number of compounds and are biased toward aquatic biota, predominantly fish, and less frequently aquatic invertebrates and macrophytes. The available ecotoxicity data revealed that only a few PFAS have been well studied for their environmental hazards, and that PFAS ecotoxicity data are also strongly biased toward aquatic organisms. Ecotoxicity studies in the terrestrial environment are needed, as well as chronic, multigenerational, and community ecotoxicity research, in light of the persistency and bioaccumulation of PFAS. Finally, we identified an urgent need to unravel the relationships among sorption, bioaccumulation, and ecotoxicity on the one hand and molecular descriptors of PFAS chemical structures and physicochemical properties on the other, to allow predictions of exposure, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2302-2316. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna S Gkika
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ge Xie
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis A M van Gestel
- Amsterdam Institute for Life and Environment, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas L Ter Laak
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- KWR Water Research Institute, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - J Arie Vonk
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie P van Wezel
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michiel H S Kraak
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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14
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Mertens H, Noll B, Schwerdtle T, Abraham K, Monien BH. Less is more: a methodological assessment of extraction techniques for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) analysis in mammalian tissues. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023; 415:5925-5938. [PMID: 37606646 PMCID: PMC10556126 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04867-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants. Studying the bioaccumulation in mammalian tissues requires a considerable effort for the PFAS extraction from complex biological matrices. The aim of the current work was to select and optimize the most efficient among common extraction strategies for eleven perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA). Primary extractions from wild boar tissues (liver, kidney, and lung) were performed with methanol at neutral, acidic, or alkaline conditions, or with methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) after ion-pairing with tetrabutylammonium (TBA) ions. A second purification step was chosen after comparing different solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges (Oasis WAX, ENVI-Carb, HybridSPE Phospholipid) and various combinations thereof or dispersive SPE with C18 and ENVI-Carb material. The best extraction efficiencies of the liquid PFAA extraction from tissue homogenates were achieved with methanol alone (recoveries from liver 86.6-114.4%). Further purification of the methanolic extracts using dispersive SPE or Oasis WAX columns decreased recoveries of most PFAA, whereas using pairs of two SPE columns connected in series proved to be more efficient albeit laborious. Highest recoveries for ten out of eleven PFAA were achieved using ENVI-Carb columns (80.3-110.6%). In summary, the simplest extraction methods using methanol and ENVI-Carb columns were also the most efficient. The technique was validated and applied in a proof of principle analysis in human tissue samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Mertens
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Benedikt Noll
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tanja Schwerdtle
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Klaus Abraham
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernhard H Monien
- Department of Food Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany.
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15
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Park H, Park J, Kim W, Kim W, Park J. Ultra-sensitive SERS detection of perfluorooctanoic acid based on self-assembled p-phenylenediamine nanoparticle complex. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 453:131384. [PMID: 37084515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
PFOA is a representative perfluorinated compound that is used as a surfactant in various industrial fields. However, because PFOA has severe side effects due to its strong toxicity, such as carcinogenesis, liver damage, and immune system damage, it is crucial to enable PFOA detection with high sensitivity. Herein, we developed a perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor using self-assembled p-phenylenediamine (SAp-PD) nanoparticles and an Ag SERS substrate. For the ultra-sensitive detection of PFOA, we synthesized and optimized SAp-PD, which shows a decrease in SERS intensities when reacting with PFOA. Using the Ag nanograss SERS substrate, the change in intensity that resulted from the SAp-PD and PFOA reaction was amplified. Consequently, we detected the 1.28 pM (detection limit) of PFOA in distilled water. Moreover, PFOA molecules were successfully detected in samples of the PFOA-coated frying pan and rice extraction at concentrations up to 1.69 nM and 10.3 μM, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunjun Park
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, the Republic of Korea
| | - Joohyung Park
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, the Republic of Korea
| | - Woochang Kim
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, the Republic of Korea
| | - Woong Kim
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, the Republic of Korea.
| | - Jinsung Park
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, the Republic of Korea.
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16
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Guo M, Wu F, Geng Q, Wu H, Song Z, Zheng G, Peng J, Zhao X, Tan Z. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in aquatic products from the Yellow-Bohai Sea coasts, China: Concentrations and profiles across species and regions. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 327:121514. [PMID: 36990342 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are emerging contaminants capable of harming human health, primarily via ingesting aquatic products. The current study monitored a survey of 23 PFASs in 1049 aquatic products from the coasts of the Yellow-Bohai Sea in China to comprehensively investigate the concentrations and distributions of PFASs. PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFOSA, and PFUdA were more predominantly and frequently detected than other PFASs in all samples, dominating PFAS patterns in aquatic products. The mean levels of ∑PFASs in different species followed the order: marine shellfish > marine crustaceans > fish > cephalopods > sea cucumber. Profiles of PFASs differ between species, suggesting species-specific accumulation plays a role. Various aquatic species are potential environmental bioindicators that signal individual PFAS contamination. For instance, clams can act as a potential PFOA bioindicator. High ∑PFAS levels in some sites (such as Binzhou, Dongying, Cangzhou, and Weifang) could be attributed to industrial activities involving fluoropolymer manufacture. The differences between PFAS concentrations and profiles in aquatic products across the study regions have been proposed as PFAS fingerprints of the Yellow-Bohai Sea coasts. Analyses of principal components and Spearman correlations indicated that the precursor biodegradation possibly contribute to C8-C10 PFCAs in the study samples. This study reported a wide presence of PFASs in different species of aquatic products across the Yellow-Bohai Sea coasts. The potential health risks that PFASs pose in certain species (such as marine shellfish and marine crustaceans) should not be neglected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Feng Wu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China
| | - Qianqian Geng
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Haiyan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Zhiling Song
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266042, China
| | - Guanchao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Jixing Peng
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Xinnan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Zhijun Tan
- Key Laboratory of Testing and Evaluation for Aquatic Product Safety and Quality, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China; Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266071, China.
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17
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Hu H, Liu M, Shen L, Zhang L, Zhu H, Wu Q. Simultaneous determination of multiple perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in aquatic products by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with automated solid-phase extraction. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2023; 1224:123736. [PMID: 37245446 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2023.123736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Diet is an important route of human exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and aquatic products are the main dietary source of PFASs. This study aimed to establish a method for the analysis of 52 PFASs in typical aquatic products, such as crucian carp, large yellow croaker, shrimp, and clam, by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) after automated solid phase extraction (SPE). After optimization of the conditions of SPE, the recovery and precision of the method is within an acceptable range. The intra-day and inter-day average recoveries of spiked samples ranged from 66.5% to 122.3% and 64.5%-128.0% for crucian carp, large yellow croaker, shrimp, and clam, with intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.78%-11.4%, and 2.54%-24.2%. The ranges of method detection limits (MDLs) and quantification limits (MQLs) of PFASs were 0.003-0.60 ng/g and 0.005-2.0 ng/g, respectively. The accuracy of the method was also verified by standard reference material (SRM), and the measured values of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were in the allowable range. The method was applied to analyze aquatic products from the local supermarket. The concentrations of ∑PFASs ranged from 13.9 ng/g ww to 75.5 ng/g ww. PFOS was the dominant pollutant, accounting for 79.6% of ∑PFASs. The branch-chain isomers, perfluoro-3-methylheptane sulfonate (P3MHpS) and perfluoro-6-methylheptane sulfonate (P6MHpS) accounted for one-quarter of PFOS. Long-chain perfluoro carboxylic acids (PFCAs) were also detected in most samples. The estimated daily intake of PFOS was over the recommended tolerable intake by several organizations such as the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute (NJDWQI), and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). PFOS would have posed health risks to consumers through dietary exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjiao Hu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Protection and Advanced Materials in Electric Power, College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai, 200090 Shanghai, China.
| | - Min Liu
- Bioassay and Safety Assessment Laboratory, Shanghai Academy of Public Measurement, 201203 Shanghai, China.
| | - Lu Shen
- Bioassay and Safety Assessment Laboratory, Shanghai Academy of Public Measurement, 201203 Shanghai, China.
| | - Lu Zhang
- Bioassay and Safety Assessment Laboratory, Shanghai Academy of Public Measurement, 201203 Shanghai, China.
| | - Hui Zhu
- Bioassay and Safety Assessment Laboratory, Shanghai Academy of Public Measurement, 201203 Shanghai, China.
| | - Qiang Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Materials Protection and Advanced Materials in Electric Power, College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai, 200090 Shanghai, China.
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18
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Oró-Nolla B, Dulsat-Masvidal M, Bertolero A, Lopez-Antia A, Lacorte S. Target and untargeted screening of perfluoroalkyl substances in biota using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2023; 1701:464066. [PMID: 37207413 DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2023.464066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known to bioaccumulate and trigger adverse effects in marine birds. This study develops an extraction and analytical methodology for the target/untargeted analysis of PFAS in eggs of Yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) and Audouin's gull (Larus audouinii) and blood of Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus), which are used as bioindicators of organic chemical pollution. Samples were extracted by ultrasonication with acetonitrile and cleaned-up with activated carbon, and analysis was performed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to a quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-Q-TOF) with negative electrospray ionization. Data-independent acquisition (DIA) was performed through full-scan acquisition to obtain MS1 at 6 eV and MS2 at 30 eV. In a first step, quantitative analysis of 25 PFAS was performed using 9 mass-labelled internal standard PFAS and quality parameters of the method developed are provided. Then, an untargeted screening workflow is proposed using the high-resolution PFAS library database from NORMAN to identify new chemicals through accurate mass measurement of MS1 and MS2 signals. The method permitted to detect several PFAS at concentrations ranging from 0.45 to 55.2 ng/g wet weight in gull eggs and from 0.75 to 125 ng/mL wet weight in flamingos' blood, with PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFUdA, PFTrDA, PFDoA, PFHxS and PFHpA the main compounds detected. In addition, perfluoro-p-ethylcyclohexylsulfonic acid (PFECHS, CAS number 646-83-3) and 2-(perfluorohexyl)ethanol (6:2 FTOH, CAS number 647-42-7) were tentatively identified. The developed UHPLC-Q-TOF target/untargeted analytical approach increases the scope of PFAS analysis, enabling a better assessment on contaminant exposure and promoting the use of bird species as bioindicators of chemical pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Oró-Nolla
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - M Dulsat-Masvidal
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - A Bertolero
- Associació Ornitològica Picampall de les Terres de l'Ebre, La Galera 53, Amposta 43870, Spain
| | - A Lopez-Antia
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - S Lacorte
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18-26, Barcelona 08034, Spain.
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Simon F, Gehrenkemper L, Becher S, Dierkes G, Langhammer N, Cossmer A, von der Au M, Göckener B, Fliedner A, Rüdel H, Koschorreck J, Meermann B. Quantification and characterization of PFASs in suspended particulate matter (SPM) of German rivers using EOF, dTOPA, (non-)target HRMS. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 885:163753. [PMID: 37121317 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we compare analytical methods for PFAS determination-target analysis, non-target screening (NTS), direct total oxidizable precursor assay (dTOPA) and extractable organically bound fluorine (EOF). Therefore, suspended particulate matter (SPM) samples from German rivers at different locations in time series from 2005 to 2020 were analyzed to investigate temporal and spatially resolved trends. In this study 3 PFAS mass balances approaches were utilized: (i) PFAA target vs. PFAS dTOPA, (ii) PFAS target vs. EOF and (iii) PFAS target vs. PFAS dTOPA vs. organofluorines NTS vs. EOF. Mass balance approach (i) revealed high proportions of precursor substances in SPM samples. For the time resolved analysis an increase from 94% (2005) to 97% in 2019 was observable. Also for the spatial resolved analysis precursor proportions were high with >84% at all sampling sites. Mass balance approach (ii) showed that the unidentified EOF (uEOF) fraction increased over time from 82% (2005) to 99% (2019). Furthermore, along the river courses the uEOF increased. In the combined mass balance approach (iii) using 4 different analytical approaches EOF fractions were further unraveled. The EOF pattern was fully explainable at the sampling sites at Saar and Elbe rivers. For the time resolved analysis, an increased proportion of the EOF was now explainable. However, still 27% of the EOF for the time resolved analysis and 25% of the EOF for the spatial resolved analysis remained unknown. Therefore, in a complementary approach, both the EOF and dTOPA reveal unknown gaps in the PFAS mass balance and are valuable contributions to PFAS risk assessment. Further research is needed to identify organofluorines summarized in the EOF parameter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Simon
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1 - Inorganic Trace Analysis, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lennart Gehrenkemper
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1 - Inorganic Trace Analysis, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Becher
- Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Department G2 - Aquatic Chemistry, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Georg Dierkes
- Federal Institute of Hydrology (BfG), Department G2 - Aquatic Chemistry, 56068 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Nicole Langhammer
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1 - Inorganic Trace Analysis, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Antje Cossmer
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1 - Inorganic Trace Analysis, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus von der Au
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1 - Inorganic Trace Analysis, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Bernd Göckener
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (Fraunhofer IME), 57392 Schmallenberg, Germany
| | - Annette Fliedner
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (Fraunhofer IME), 57392 Schmallenberg, Germany
| | - Heinz Rüdel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (Fraunhofer IME), 57392 Schmallenberg, Germany
| | - Jan Koschorreck
- German Environment Agency (UBA), 06813 Dessau-Rosslau, Germany
| | - Björn Meermann
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1 - Inorganic Trace Analysis, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
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Díaz-Galiano FJ, Murcia-Morales M, Monteau F, Le Bizec B, Dervilly G. Collision cross-section as a universal molecular descriptor in the analysis of PFAS and use of ion mobility spectrum filtering for improved analytical sensitivities. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1251:341026. [PMID: 36925298 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
The massive usage of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as their high chemical stability, have led to their ubiquitous presence in environmental matrices and direct human exposure through contaminated food, particularly fish. In the analysis of this large group of substances, the use of ion mobility coupled to mass spectrometry is of particular relevance because it uses an additional descriptor, the collision cross-section (CCS), which results in increased selectivity. In the present work, the TWCCSN2 of 24 priority PFAS were experimentally obtained, and the reproducibility of these measurements was evaluated over seven weeks. The average values were employed to critically assess previously reported data and theoretical calculations. This gain in selectivity made it possible to increase the sensitivity of the detection on complex matrices (biota, food and human serum) by using the drift time associated to each analyte as a filter, thus reducing the interferences and background noise and allowing their detection at trace levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco José Díaz-Galiano
- ONIRIS, INRAE, LABERCA, Nantes, 44000, France; University of Almería, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), Ctra. Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, 04120, Almería, Spain
| | - María Murcia-Morales
- ONIRIS, INRAE, LABERCA, Nantes, 44000, France; University of Almería, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (ceiA3), Ctra. Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, 04120, Almería, Spain
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21
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Hu J, Lyu Y, Chen H, Cai L, Li J, Cao X, Sun W. Integration of target, suspect, and nontarget screening with risk modeling for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances prioritization in surface waters. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 233:119735. [PMID: 36801580 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Though thousands of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been on the global market, most research focused on only a small fraction, potentially resulting in underestimated environmental risks. Here, we used complementary target, suspect, and nontarget screening for quantifying and identifying the target and nontarget PFAS, respectively, and developed a risk model considering their specific properties to prioritize the PFAS in surface waters. Thirty-three PFAS were identified in surface water in the Chaobai river, Beijing. The suspect and nontarget screening by Orbitrap displayed a sensitivity of > 77%, indicating its good performance in identifying the PFAS in samples. We used triple quadrupole (QqQ) under multiple-reaction monitoring for quantifying PFAS with authentic standards due to its potentially high sensitivity. To quantify the nontarget PFAS without authentic standards, we trained a random forest regression model which presented the differences up to only 2.7 times between measured and predicted response factors (RFs). The maximum/minimum RF in each PFAS class was as high as 1.2-10.0 in Orbitrap and 1.7-22.3 in QqQ. A risk-based prioritization approach was developed to rank the identified PFAS, and four PFAS (i.e., perfluorooctanoic acid, hydrogenated perfluorohexanoic acid, bistriflimide, 6:2 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid) were flagged with high priority (risk index > 0.1) for remediation and management. Our study highlighted the importance of a quantification strategy during environmental scrutiny of PFAS, especially for nontarget PFAS without standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingrun Hu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yitao Lyu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Huan Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, SC 29634, USA.
| | - Leilei Cai
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong 266590, China
| | - Jie Li
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaoqiang Cao
- College of Safety and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong 266590, China
| | - Weiling Sun
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100871, China.
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22
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Efficient PFAS prioritization in non-target HRMS data: systematic evaluation of the novel MD/C-m/C approach. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023; 415:1791-1801. [PMID: 36826506 PMCID: PMC10049945 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04601-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Non-target screening (NTS) based on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is necessary to comprehensively characterize per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in environmental, biological, and technical samples due to the very limited availability of authentic PFAS reference standards. Since in trace analysis, MS/MS information is not always achievable and only selected PFAS are present in homologous series, further techniques to prioritize measured HRMS data (features) according to their likelihood of being PFAS are highly desired due to the importance of efficient data reduction during NTS. Kaufmann et al. (J AOAC Int, 2022) presented a very promising approach to separate selected PFAS from sample matrix features by plotting the mass defect (MD) normalized to the number of carbons (MD/C) vs. mass normalized to the number of C (m/C). We systematically evaluated the advantages and limitations of this approach by using ~ 490,000 chemical formulas of organic chemicals (~ 210,000 PFAS, ~ 160,000 organic contaminants, and 125,000 natural organic matter compounds) and calculating how efficiently, and especially which, PFAS can be prioritized. While PFAS with high fluorine content (approximately: F/C > 0.8, H/F < 0.8, mass percent of fluorine > 55%) can be separated well, partially fluorinated PFAS with a high hydrogen content are more difficult to prioritize, which we discuss for selected PFAS. In the MD/C-m/C approach, even compounds with highly positive MDs above 0.5 Da and hence incorrectly assigned to negative MDs can still be separated from true negative mass defect features by the normalized mass (m/C). Furthermore, based on the position in the MD/C-m/C plot, we propose the estimation of the fluorine fraction in molecules for selected PFAS classes. The promising MD/C-m/C approach can be widely used in PFAS research and routine analysis. The concept is also applicable to other compound classes like iodinated compounds.
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Harrison EE, Waters ML. Detection and differentiation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water using a fluorescent imprint-and-report sensor array. Chem Sci 2023; 14:928-936. [PMID: 36755732 PMCID: PMC9891069 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc05685b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Widespread industrial use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as surfactants has led to global contamination of water sources with these persistent, highly stable chemicals. As a result, humans and wildlife are regularly exposed to PFAS, which have been shown to bioaccumulate and cause adverse health effects. Methods for detecting PFAS in water are currently limited and primarily utilize mass spectrometry (MS), which is time-consuming and requires expensive instrumentation. Thus, new methods are needed to rapidly and reliably assess the pollution level of water sources. While some fluorescent PFAS sensors exist, they typically function in high nanomolar or micromolar concentration ranges and focus on sensing only 1-2 individual PFAS. Our work aims to address this problem by developing a fluorescent sensor for both individual PFAS, as well as complex PFAS mixtures, and demonstrate its functionality in tap water samples. Here we show that dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCLs) with simple building blocks can be templated with a fluorophore and subsequently used as sensors to form an array that differentially detects each PFAS species and various mixtures thereof. Our method is a high-throughput analysis technique that allows many samples to be analyzed simultaneously with a plate reader. This is one of the first examples of a fluorescent PFAS sensor array that functions at low nanomolar concentrations, and herein we report its use for the rapid detection of PFAS contamination in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Harrison
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth Carolina 27599USA
| | - Marcey L. Waters
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth Carolina 27599USA
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Abdelraheem E, Wise J, Murphy C, Jiang W. Triple-stage Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer to Determine Ubiquitously Present Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances in Drinking Water at Part Per Trillion Levels Using Solid Phase Extraction Approach. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2022; 110:32. [PMID: 36583746 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-022-03686-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
An accurate analytical method was developed to determine selected per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) at the level of parts per trillion (ppt or ng/L) in drinking water. The method included a concentration step using solid phase extraction (SPE) approach in combination with a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry system (LC-MS/MS). This method was optimized and validated for the common PFAS contaminants in drinking water. An initial demonstration of capability was established with an acceptable initial calibration, minimum reporting limit (MRL), limit of detection (LOD), initial demonstration of low system background, and initial demonstration of precision (IDP). Isotopically labeled internal standards were used for quantification. Surrogate standards were used to monitor method performance. The current method will help in better understanding of PFAS crisis by providing an efficient measurement of PFAS in water. In this study, the recoveries of four surrogates were between 84 and 113%, and calculated limit of detection (DL) and minimum reporting limits (MRL) were generally 1.0-3.0 and 5-10 ng/L, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehab Abdelraheem
- Center for PFAS Research, Michigan State University, 48910, Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - John Wise
- Center for PFAS Research, Michigan State University, 48910, Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Cheryl Murphy
- Center for PFAS Research, Michigan State University, 48910, Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Wayne Jiang
- Center for PFAS Research, Michigan State University, 48910, Lansing, MI, USA.
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 48824, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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Lai A, Schaub J, Steinbeck C, Schymanski EL. An algorithm to classify homologous series within compound datasets. J Cheminform 2022; 14:85. [PMID: 36510332 PMCID: PMC9746203 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-022-00663-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Homologous series are groups of related compounds that share the same core structure attached to a motif that repeats to different degrees. Compounds forming homologous series are of interest in multiple domains, including natural products, environmental chemistry, and drug design. However, many homologous compounds remain unannotated as such in compound datasets, which poses obstacles to understanding chemical diversity and their analytical identification via database matching. To overcome these challenges, an algorithm to detect homologous series within compound datasets was developed and implemented using the RDKit. The algorithm takes a list of molecules as SMILES strings and a monomer (i.e., repeating unit) encoded as SMARTS as its main inputs. In an iterative process, substructure matching of repeating units, molecule fragmentation, and core detection lead to homologous series classification through grouping of identical cores. Three open compound datasets from environmental chemistry (NORMAN Suspect List Exchange, NORMAN-SLE), exposomics (PubChemLite for Exposomics), and natural products (the COlleCtion of Open NatUral producTs, COCONUT) were subject to homologous series classification using the algorithm. Over 2000, 12,000, and 5000 series with CH2 repeating units were classified in the NORMAN-SLE, PubChemLite, and COCONUT respectively. Validation of classified series was performed using published homologous series and structure categories, including a comparison with a similar existing method for categorising PFAS compounds. The OngLai algorithm and its implementation for classifying homologues are openly available at: https://github.com/adelenelai/onglai-classify-homologues .
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Affiliation(s)
- Adelene Lai
- grid.16008.3f0000 0001 2295 9843Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 6 Avenue du Swing, 4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg ,grid.9613.d0000 0001 1939 2794Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Lessing Strasse 8, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Jonas Schaub
- grid.9613.d0000 0001 1939 2794Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Lessing Strasse 8, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Christoph Steinbeck
- grid.9613.d0000 0001 1939 2794Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Lessing Strasse 8, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Emma L. Schymanski
- grid.16008.3f0000 0001 2295 9843Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 6 Avenue du Swing, 4367 Belvaux, Luxembourg
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Kaufmann A, Butcher P, Maden K, Walker S, Widmer M. Simplifying Nontargeted Analysis of PFAS in Complex Food Matrixes. J AOAC Int 2022; 105:1280-1287. [DOI: 10.1093/jaoacint/qsac071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of toxic environmental contaminants that are characterized by their high chemical stability and enormous structural diversity.
Objective
The limited availability of PFAS reference standards is the main motivation for developing nontargeted analytical methods. Current concepts are complex and rely on multiple filtering steps (e.g., assumption of homologous series, detection of mass defects, generic fragments, and spectra obtained from web-based sources).
Method
High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)–based chromatograms of fish liver extracts were deconvoluted. Based on the ion abundance between the monoisotopic and the first isotopic peak, the number of carbons (C) was estimated for each extracted feature. A mass over carbon (m/C) and mass defect over carbon (md/C) ratio was calculated.
Results
PFAS-related peaks are strongly discriminated from matrix peaks when plotting m/C versus md/C. This enables nontarget detection of PFAS present at low µg/kg concentration in complex food matrixes.
Conclusions
The proposed concept is highly selective by revealing a relatively small number of high-probability PFAS candidates (features). The small number of surviving candidates permits the MS/MS-based confirmation of each feature. This strategy led to the finding of one PFAS not present in the reference standard solution, as well as the detection of an unexpected set of PFAS adducts.
Highlights
The proposed concept of mass over carbon versus mass defect over carbon is suited for the nontarget detection of low amounts of PFAS in complex matrixes. It should be capable of detecting any PFAS (F/H ratio should be >1:1) regardless of the ionization mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Kaufmann
- Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zurich , Fehrenstrasse 15 , 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Butcher
- Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zurich , Fehrenstrasse 15 , 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kathryn Maden
- Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zurich , Fehrenstrasse 15 , 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Walker
- Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zurich , Fehrenstrasse 15 , 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mirjam Widmer
- Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zurich , Fehrenstrasse 15 , 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
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Fluorine-functionalized conjugated microporous polymer as adsorbents for solid-phase extraction of nine perfluorinated alkyl substances. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1681:463457. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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