Theme: 07. Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS)

Topic Area: 7m. PFAS Site Characterization

Formatted Title:

Application of a Portable LCMS Platform to Improve Datasets Used in PFAS Management

Background/Objectives:

Per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants that have gained considerable attention in the environmental monitoring industry due to their stability, mobility, and potential toxicity. Given their widespread use and dispersion in the environment, comprehensive testing often requires the collection of numerous samples. In certain situations, such as treatment system validation, remote area work, or emergency response to spills, near real-time data are crucial for informed decision-making. Portable liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) offers a valuable field tool that enables the rapid analysis of key PFAS species, facilitating quick turnaround times and efficient screening activities. This presentation explores the advantages of portable LCMS, showcases relevant case studies, and proposes potential future applications where this technology can significantly enhance the collection of environmental data and, consequently, improve PFAS management outcomes.

Approach/Activities:

The presentation provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging technology of portable LCMS, discussing the current state of the technology, highlighting its relevant capabilities, such as sensitivity, analyte suite, and limit of reporting. This overview sets the foundation for understanding the advantages and limitations of portable LCMS in environmental monitoring and management. A series of detailed case studies are provided that discuss field data and showcase the performance of the portable LCMS system in the field in Australia for validation, hotspot delineation and source tracking activities. These case studies include interlaboratory data and demonstrate various practical use cases where portable LCMS has been successfully implemented. Real-world examples enable an evaluation of the system's reliability, accuracy, and effectiveness in different environmental settings and on projects with different measurement objectives.

Results/Lessons Learned:

The outcomes of field trials involving portable LCMS have found that the method detection limit for key PFAS species (PFOS and PFHxS) are roughly 10X that available in Australian commercial laboratories (0.1 µg/kg), further robusticity data will be shared highlighting the practical results and method reliability demonstrated by these trials. The challenges encountered in developing a fully functional portable LCMS unit will be discussed in detail, addressing technical and operational issues such as contamination control. Portable LCMS is a novel approach to collecting screening or validation data in field and providing rapid results. This technology presents a significant leap forward in the collection of data for environmental investigation and management activities in a manner that is informed and/or within an appropriate timeframe to support infield decision making.

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Fraser Smith