Measuring Short-Chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Central New Jersey Air Using Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Mattila, J. & Offenberg, J.
Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association
DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2024.2366491
Together with our partner Aerodyne Research, we continuously support the operation of our mass spectrometers for new, groundbreaking research. This recent publication employed our Vocus 2R in central New Jersey, USA to measure volatile per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
PFAS are manufactured compounds used to enhance resistance to stains, grease, water, and heat in various products, and are also crucial in producing fluorinated polymers. These compounds are known for their environmental and biological persistence, raising significant concerns for regulatory bodies like the US Environmental Protections Agency (EPA). PFAS can exist as airborne pollutants, making the atmosphere a key exposure route. However, traditional environmental PFAS measurements have focused on water and soil, with airborne PFAS typically measured using offline techniques that are labor intensive and time consuming.
Recent advances in online chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) using iodide reagent ions have enabled sensitive, selective, and rapid (~1 Hz) measurements of gas-phase PFAS, including fluorotelomer alcohols, perfluorinated carboxylic acids, and perfluoroether carboxylic acids. Studies have utilized iodide CIMS to detect volatile PFAS emissions from various sources, such as aqueous film-forming foams and fluoropolymer coatings. A recent deployment of iodide CIMS using the TOFWERK Vocus 2R at the EPA’s CESER facility in New Jersey during July-August 2023 successfully calibrated and measured short-chain PFAS (C < 8) in ambient air at parts-per-trillion by volume levels, demonstrating the instrument’s potential for monitoring PFAS, as well as other analytes, in the atmosphere.
The field deployment demonstrated the potential of online iodide CIMS instrumentation for measuring certain PFAS in ambient air at parts-per-trillion by volume (pptv) levels, detecting TFA up to 0.7 pptv (~30 ng m−3) and C3H2F6O and C6HF11O3 up to single pptv levels (~102 ng m−3). This represents a significant step in fast, real-time PFAS measurements to understand their atmospheric sources, sinks, and impacts.
Future improvements could include directly calibrating the CIMS for more PFAS to ensure accurate mixing ratios, optimizing detection limits, and mitigating sample loss. Sampling in urban or industrial areas with direct PFAS sources, rather than distant sites surrounded by foliage, could yield more relevant data. Additionally, collocating meteorological measurements with CIMS instrumentation is essential for accurate source analysis and understanding airborne PFAS dynamics.
This study highlights the versatility and capabilities of the TOFWERK Vocus product line for PFAS detection. Learn more about these capabilities in the whitepaper, Revolutionizing PFAS Detection in Air: High Sensitivity and Versatility with the Vocus Aim Reactor.
