Real-Time Detection of Particle-Phase Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) Using Aerosol Mass Spectrometry
XIANGXINYUE MENG, Sahir Gagan, Barbara Turpin, Jason Surratt, Yue Zhang, Texas A&M University
Abstract Number: 558
Working Group: Chemicals of Emerging Concern in Indoor and Outdoor Aerosol: Sources, Vectors, Reactivity, and Impacts
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), known for their resistance to degradation, are environmental pollutants with significant adverse health effects. Their widespread occurrence in rivers, soils, landfills, consumer products, drinking water sources, as well as indoor and outdoor air near fluorochemical manufacturing facilities, has raised significant environmental concerns. Furthermore, previous studies have demonstrated the presence of PFASs in inhalable fine particulate matter, highlighting the need to assess their abundance, distribution and potential health risks in atmospheric aerosols using more advanced analytical techniques. Current analytical methods for quantifying particle-phase PFASs predominantly rely on offline sampling techniques, while real-time, in situ monitoring technologies remain underdeveloped. In this study, a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) was employed to establish an online approach for identification and quantification of PFASs-containing particles from laboratory-generated aerosols. Four standard species, perfluoro-n-butanoic acid (PFBA), perfluoro-n-octanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), and hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (GenX) were quantified with the AMS. Consistent fragmentations were observed and the ionization efficiencies of these standards were derived. A series of fragment ions are identified as the major tracer ions for PFASs-containing particles, including CF, CF2, CF3, and C2F5, suggesting these fluorocarbon ions may be useful for identifying particle-phase PFASs in real-time. A field study conducted near a fluorochemical manufacturing facility in North Carolina was used to validate the laboratory techniques. The derived tracer ions from PFASs and the capability to quantify particle-phase PFASs species can substantially enhance our understanding of the sources, transport, fate, and health impacts of PFASs-containing aerosols, further providing mitigation of these emerging environmental concerns.