This application note outlines a viable method for reliably detecting low-fem- togram levels of perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCA) and sulphonates (PFSA) without background component interference, with an inline contaminant trap LC modification. Good chromatographic resolution of all perfluorinated compounds was observed. A representative suite of PFCAs and PFSAs were analyzed herein and were all detected at on-column levels lower than 75 fg in drinking water matrices (S/N >3.) The most sensitive analytes PFHxS, PFDS and PFBS were detected at 2.6, 3.2 and 5 fg levels, respectively. Method detection limits for spiked pork liver matrix extract samples were below 600 fg on-column for the entire analyte suite. No detectable background conta- mination was observed in blank injections for any analyte in this study. Linearity for up to five orders of magnitude with R2 values above 0.996 for the entire suite were recorded.
This document outlines a viable method for reliably detecting low-femtogram levels of perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCA) and sulphonates (PFSA) using the Agilent 6460 Triple Quadrupole LC/MS system equipped with Agilent Jet Stream Technology. The method utilizes dynamic multiple reaction monitoring (dynamic MRM) and an inline contaminant trap configuration to achieve low limits of detection without background interference.
| Column temperature | 55 °C |
|---|---|
| Autosampler temp | 4°C |
| Gradient flow rate | 0.5 mL/min |
| Total run time | 9.0 min |
The study analyzed a suite of perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCA) and sulphonates (PFSA), including PFBS, PFDA, PFDoA, PFDS, PFHpA, PFHxA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFOA, PFOS, PFTA, PFTriA, and PFUA.
The most sensitive analyte PFHxS was detected at 2.6 fg levels.
Linearity was recorded for up to five orders of magnitude with R² values above 0.996.
Agilent Jet Stream Technology was used, effectively increasing sensitivity to around 14x that of normal electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions.