Analysis of PFAS Compounds on the Agilent InfinityLab Pro iQ Plus Mass Detector

Significance of the Topic

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent environmental contaminants with widespread applications and potential health risks. Accurate quantification of PFAS at sub-ppb levels is critical for monitoring remediation efforts, emerging treatment technologies and industrial emissions.

Objectives and Study Overview

This study evaluated a workflow for simultaneous analysis of 26 PFAS standards using the Agilent InfinityLab Pro iQ Plus single quadrupole LC/MS system. Key goals included assessing chromatographic separation, linearity, sensitivity and reproducibility with integrated data acquisition and processing in Agilent OpenLab CDS 2.8.

Methodology and Instrumentation

Standards of 26 PFAS were diluted in methanol:water (1:1) across nine concentrations from 0.1 to 100 ng/mL. UHPLC separation employed an Agilent ZORBAX RRHD Eclipse Plus C18 analytical column with a guard and a PFC delay column under a 14.5 minute gradient. The InfinityLab Pro iQ Plus single quadrupole MS with Jet Stream electrospray source operated in negative mode, collecting full scan (m/z 100–800) and selected ion monitoring (SIM) data.

Main Results and Discussion

Chromatographic separation of all 26 PFAS was achieved in under 15 minutes. Calibration curves exhibited excellent linearity (R2 ≥ 0.99) and accuracy between 82% and 114%. Limits of quantification ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 ng/mL with RSD < 10% at LOQ for each analyte. The fast SIM acquisition rate provided sufficient data points at LOQ while the full scan offered additional mass spectral information. OpenLab CDS 2.8 Integration Optimizer Wizard streamlined peak integration and automated report generation.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• The compact single quadrupole system offers a cost-effective alternative for nonregulated PFAS studies.
• Integrated hardware and software deliver a seamless workflow from sample injection to final reporting.
• High sensitivity and reproducibility support research on emerging remediation technologies and industrial monitoring.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

Future directions include extending the method to real environmental and biological matrices, integrating high-resolution MS for unknown PFAS screening, and deploying automated sample preparation and data analytics for high-throughput monitoring.

Conclusion

The described LC/MS method provides reliable sub-ppb quantification of a broad PFAS panel on a single quadrupole platform. The combined analytical performance and integrated OpenLab CDS 2.8 workflow facilitate efficient PFAS analysis for research and industrial laboratories.

Reference

• Evich MG et al Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the Environment Science 2022 375(6580)