An optimized method for the determination of perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorooctane sulfonate and other perfluorochemicals in different matrices using liquid chromatography/ion-trap mass spectrometry

Perfluorochemicals (PFCʹs) are widely spread in the environment and have been detected in blood of wildlife and humans world-wide. Recently, various toxic effects of PFCʹs in laboratory rats have been demonstrated, resulting in increased government concerns regarding the presence of PFCʹs in the environment and the implications they have on human health. In the last decade, various analytical methods have been developed for the analysis of PFCʹs in different matrices whereby the majority of methods have utilised liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC–MS). Here we describe an optimized method for the quantitation of PFCʹs, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), in food packaging, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sealant tape and drinking water. The method involved PFCʹs extraction via off-line SPE followed by separation using reversed-phase liquid chromatography on a Phenyl–Hexyl column coupled with ion-trap (IT) mass spectrometric detection. The optimized approach minimized ion-suppression effects commonly seen with conventional elution buffers, improving detection limits down to 25 pg/mL and allowed effective quantitation down to 50 pg/mL for PFOA and PFOS. The optimized LC–MS method detected PFOA and other PFCʹs in microwave popcorn packaging and PFOA in PTFE sealant tape in the low μg/kg. In all samples, PFOS was not detected.