Analysis of fluorotelomer alcohols, fluorotelomer acids, and short- and long-chain perfluorinated acids in water and biota

J Chromatogr A. 2005 Nov 4;1093(1-2):89-97. doi: 10.1016/j.chroma.2005.07.053. Epub 2005 Aug 15.

Abstract

Fluorotelomer alcohols and fluorotelomer acids have been proposed as a source of the perfluorinated carboxylic acids found in remote marine locations. To examine the sources and fate of perfluorinated acids in the environment, a method to determine a wide range of poly- and perfluorinated acids in environmental and biological matrices is needed. In this study, a method has been developed to measure a suite of neutral and acidic fluorochemicals including, fluorotelomer alcohols, fluorotelomer acids, and short- and long-chain perfluorinated acids, in water and biological samples. The method involves solid-phase extraction with weak anion exchange (WAX) cartridges, followed by sequential elution with sodium acetate buffer, methanol, and 0.1% NH4OH in methanol. For biological samples, prior to solid-phase extraction, tissues are digested in 0.5N potassium hydroxide/methanol, diluted in water, and passed through the WAX cartridge. Neutral compounds and telomer alcohols are separated from other poly- and perfluorinated acids. The method is robust (i.e., capable of measuring neutral and acidic compounds), and can be applied for the analysis of a range of poly- and perfluorinated acids, including telomer alcohols, telomer acids, perfluoroalkylcarboxylates, and perfluoroalkylsulfonates in water and biota. With the use of high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), a method detection limit in the range of several tens to hundreds of parts-per-quadrillion (pg/L) in water and at a few tens to hundreds of parts-per-trillion (pg/g) levels in biological matrices can be achieved.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acids / analysis*
  • Acids / blood
  • Alcohols / analysis*
  • Alcohols / blood
  • Animals
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Humans
  • Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated / analysis*
  • Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated / blood
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Rodentia

Substances

  • Acids
  • Alcohols
  • Hydrocarbons, Fluorinated