A Multiphase Sampling and Analytical Approach for Investigating Airborne PFAS Transmission

Abstract

The authors evaluated a sampling and analytical system to measure differing modes of atmospheric per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) transmission. The sampling was conducted with the FM4 sampling module, which features particulate collection followed by polyurethane foam sorption followed by activated carbon disc adsorption, a configuration designed to capture PFAS-laden particulate matter (one-micron to ten-microns), as well as aerosol, volatile, and ionic PFAS species in a single sampling event. Individual sampling media fractions were subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography coupled with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) and liquid chromatography coupled with tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) for 33 ionic and 20 neutral PFAS species. A multi-day field sampling event conducted in an outdoor urban environment demonstrated that the system was able to capture and differentiate a number of airborne PFAS species. The study showed that simultaneous, multi-phase sample collection coupled with GC–MS/MS and LC–MS/MS analysis can be a useful approach to further elucidate the mode and manner of atmospheric PFAS transmission.