Measurement of fluorotelomer alcohols based on solid phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and its application in solid waste study

Landfill Gas: A Major Pathway for Neutral Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Release

“…The shortest and longest analyzed homologues, 4:2 and 12:2 FTOH, were significantly lower in concentration (Table S-10). This is supported by previous FTOH distributions determined from source fluoro-telomer polymers and observations in LFG, urban air, and air surrounding wastewater treatment/landfill sites. − ,,, Concentrations of 12:2 FTOH were of similar magnitude to those in Titaley et al, but 4:2 FTOH has not been detected in LFG, suggesting MSW landfills to be a previously unidentified potential source of atmospheric 4:2 FTOH …”

“…Like previous studies on LFG and air surrounding landfills, FTOHs dominated neutral PFAS concentrations; ,,,, however, extrapolated concentrations in this study surpassed previous reports in LFG, in some cases by 2 orders of magnitude, and were more comparable (although much lower) to concentrations recently identified in soil vapor near a PFAS manufacturing facility . While there are uncertainties given the degree of extrapolation, the magnitude of FTOHs found in this study compared to existing research suggests fundamental differences potentially related to sampling methodology (e.g., much larger sampling volumes) and/or sampled landfill characteristics (e.g., waste type, age, air intrusion), although these data were not available for comparison.…”

“…Goukeh et al, only assessing FTOHs, identified higher combined concentrations than Titaley et al, finding ∼18,000 ng m –3 (sum of 6:2 and 8:2 FTOH) in the one LFG sample examined. These studies suggest PFAS variability in LFG, which motivates further investigation, deploying higher sampling volumes and larger analyte lists to understand the potential presence of other neutral PFAS and distribution among landfills of different regions, compositions, and sizes.…”

“…The bulk of PFAS characterization studies focus on nonvolatile/semivolatile (ionic) perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) measured in liquid and solid matrices, in part because of a high presence and awareness of these species within the PFAS community but largely because analytical capabilities for ionic PFAS measurement are better established. − Volatile (neutral) PFAS are also utilized in consumer products ,− , and have been determined in a few studies on ambient air surrounding landfills and near wastewater treatment plants, − but a lack of volatile analytical standards and latency in methodological development has hindered the progression of gas phase research in environmental matrices. Whereas PFAS characterization in leachate is established, concentrations ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of nanograms per liter are commonly encountered; − only two studies characterize volatile PFAS directly in LFG. , Titaley et al identified fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH), fluorotelomer acrylate (FTAc) and fluorotelomer olefin (FTO) homologues in LFG with combined concentrations ranging from 4,600 to 14,000 ng m –3 across three landfills. Goukeh et al, only assessing FTOHs, identified higher combined concentrations than Titaley et al, finding ∼18,000 ng m –3 (sum of 6:2 and 8:2 FTOH) in the one LFG sample examined.…”

Can the presence of a fluorine-containing functional group in eutectic mixtures indeed bring fluorous affinity for fluorotelomer alcohol?

“…Moreover, they serve as precursors for other PFASs with health risks, such as perfluorocarboxylic acids. 2 The term “perfluorinated” indicates that fluorine is the predominant element in PFASs, and the atomic structure of fluorine plays a crucial role in determining the chemical and physical properties of PFASs. The interaction between fluorine atoms (F⋯F) is influenced by fluorophilicity, which pertains to the distinctive partitioning and sorption properties exhibited by highly fluorinated organic compounds containing sp 3 carbon–fluorine bonds.…”