Paper spray-atmospheric pressure photoionization-high resolution mass spectrometry for the direct analysis of neutral fluorinated compounds in waterproof impregnation sprays

Rapid detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using paper spray-based mass spectrometry

Traditional PFAS analysis by mass spectrometry (MS) is time-consuming, as laborious sample preparation (e.g., extraction and desalting) is necessary. Herein, we report fast detection of PFAS by paper spray (PS)-based MS techniques, which employs a triangular-shaped filter paper for sample loading and ionization (≤ 3 min per sample). In this study, PS-MS was first used for direct PFAS analysis of drinking water, tap water, and wastewater. Interestingly, food package paper materials can be directly cut and examined with PS-MS for possible PFAS contamination. For samples containing salt matrices which would suppress PFAS ion signal, desalting paper spray mass spectrometry (DPS-MS), was shown to be capable of rapidly desalting, ionizing and detecting PFAS species such as per-fluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and per-fluorosulphonic acid (PFOS). The retention of PFAS on paper substrate while salts being washed away by water is likely due to hydrophilic interaction between the PFAS polar head (e.g., carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid) with the polar filter paper cellulose surface. The DPS-MS method is highly sensitive (limits of detection:1.2-4.5 ppt) and can be applicable for directly analyzing soil extract and soil samples. These results suggest the high potential of PS-MS and the related DPS-MS technique in real-world environmental analysis of PFAS.

Applications of ambient ionization mass spectrometry in 2022: An annual review

The development of ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS) has transformed analytical science, providing the means of performing rapid analysis of samples in their native state, both in and out of the laboratory. The capacity to eliminate sample preparation and pre-MS separation techniques, leading to true real-time analysis, has led to AIMS naturally gaining a broad interest across the scientific community. Since the introduction of the first AIMS techniques in the mid-2000s, the field has exploded with dozens of novel ion sources, an array of intriguing applications, and an evident growing interest across diverse areas of study. As the field continues to surge forward each year, ambient ionization techniques are increasingly becoming commonplace in laboratories around the world. This annual review provides an overview of AIMS techniques and applications throughout 2022, with a specific focus on some of the major fields of research, including forensic science, disease diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and food sciences. New techniques and methods are introduced, demonstrating the unwavering drive of the analytical community to further advance this exciting field and push the boundaries of what analytical chemistry can achieve.