PFAS in Air: Sampling and analytical techniques for the identification of persistent contaminants and new method updates
Presented at the National Environmental Monitoring Conference 2021
The poster entitled “PFAS in Air: Sampling and analytical techniques for the identification of persistent contaminants and new method updates” was presented by Markes International at the National Environmental Monitoring Conference, which was held on 2–22 August 2021 as a hybrid in-person/virtual conference.
Automated detection of target and non-target PFAS at trace levels
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals with over 6000 registered species. PFAS and their degradation products are persistent pollutants, difficult to remove from the environment and highly mobile once released, so they are considered environmental chemicals of concern. Long-term exposure to environmental levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have been linked to conditions such as decreased fertility, thyroid disease, low infant birth weights and, in the case of PFOA, cancer.
This poster demonstrates that thermal desorption with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) provides a robust and readily automated procedure for monitoring target and non-target PFAS vapours in air at trace levels. The sampling technique can be applied indoors and outdoors, for example for monitoring industrial gases and emissions from PFAS-containing materials.
