Reduce PFAS Background Interference and Contamination

According to the EPA, PFAS are long-lasting in both the environment and the human body, and exposure to these substances can result in negative health outcomes. Known as perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are present in food, everyday household products, the workplace, drinking water, and even within living organisms.

These substances have some or all of the hydrogen atoms in an alkyl chain replaced by fluorine, giving them distinctive properties that make them highly valuable in industry and commerce. Their wide range of use is what has led to emission into the environment, and the need for analysis.

PFASs such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfanoic acid (PFOS) are ubiquitous, and have been detected in water, soil, sludge, and biota in the parts per billion (ppb) or parts per trillion (ppt) range. As a result, The USEPA has recently issued a combined drinking water health advisory for PFOA and PFOS at 70 ng/L. Several states such as New Jersey, New York, and North Carolina already have public health guideline values varying from 20–400 ng/L for several PFAS including PFOA, PFOS, perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) in water.

As denoted by Agilent, PFASs are routinely used in manufacturing processes, so it is possible to have system contamination in the solvents, tubing, fittings, filters, and other parts used in the manufacture and routine operation of a liquid chromatograph. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a fluoropolymer used in all major (U)HPLC systems, and can be a potential source of PFAS contamination during analysis. We provide a solution for reducing the potential sources of PFAS background interference contamination in an Agilent 1260 Infinity II and an Agilent 1290 Infinity II system, to allow sensitive quantification of these analytes. 

Chrom Tech is a Minnesota-based, worldwide distributor of chromatography instrumentation and supplies and mass spectrometry supplies. We carry vials, well plates, syringe filters, solvent waste containers and all other critical chromatography and spectrometry supplies. Contact Chrom Tech  to become your preferred supplier of chromatography and mass spectrometry supplies.