Untargeted screening of volatile per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) released during the application of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)
Application Note 153
In this application note, we show how thermal desorption with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD–GC–MS) can be used to monitor the release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during the application of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF).
Widely used in firefighting, AFFF is one of the most well-known PFAS-containing products. PFAS are released into the air, and thence to groundwater and soil, each time AFFF is used in training and emergency response situations.
The results of the study show that TD–GC–MS can be used to analyse target compounds and screen for non-target compounds, enabling researchers to gain a greater understanding of AFFF emissions.