The analysis of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) at increasingly lower levels dictates the need for sample extraction and pre-concentration techniques such as solid-phase extraction (SPE) into an organic solvent to meet the required detection limits. Injecting high sample volumes could, in principle, improve sensitivity and therefore allow lower detection limits to be achieved. However, reversed-phase liquid chromatography (LC) does not lend itself to large-volume injection of extracts with high organic content due to the high elution strength of the sample solvent causing peak broadening, tailing, and splitting.

This webinar will demonstrate the use of a novel Feed Injection technique using the new Agilent Hybrid Sampler in combination with a high-end LC triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with iFunnel technology. This allows for the direct analysis of 80–100% organic solvent PFAS extracts in drinking water at or below 1 ng/L without experiencing any detrimental solvent effects. The combination of the Hybrid Sampler with a novel design C18 reversed-phase column enables excellent chromatographic fidelity in high organic content mobile phases, meeting current EU2184, EPA 537.1, EPA 533 and EPA 8327 regulations.

The presentation will also show viewers how to increase the sensitivity further, using the Feed Injection approach in combination with the large volume injection of PFAS SPE extracts in drinking water to allow ppq-level quantitation at or below 1 pg/L.

Key Learning Objectives

1. Understand practical considerations for analytical set-up and prevention of sample contamination.
2. Learn how the Feed Injection technique allows PFAS samples in a high organic solvent to be analyzed.
3. Learn how iFunnel LC-Triple quadrupole mass spectrometry meets the sensitivity requirements for trace PFAS analysis.