Nontarget Discovery of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Atmospheric Particulate Matter and Gaseous Phase Using Cryogenic Air Sampler

Abstract

Novel per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have become a key issue in global environmental studies. Although several novel PFASs have been discovered in atmospheric particulate matter through nontarget analysis, information on the environmental occurrence of novel PFASs in atmospheric gaseous phases and conventional sampling techniques is somewhat deficient. Therefore, this Article describes a new type of air sampler, the cryogenic air sampler (CAS), which was used to collect all atmospheric components simultaneously. Nontarget analysis then was performed through PFASs homologue analysis. A total of 117 PFAS homologues (38 classes) were discovered, 48 of which (13 classes) were identified with confidence Level 4 or above. Eleven chlorinated perfluoropolyether alcohols (3 classes) and four chlorinated perfluoropolyether carboxylic acids (2 classes) have been reported for the first time in this Article. This Article is also the first report of 12 hydrosubstituted perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (H-PFCAs) in the atmosphere. H-PFCAs and chlorinated perfluoropolyether carboxylic acids were mainly distributed in the particular phase. These results are evidence that novel chlorinated polyether PFASs should be the focus of future study.

PFAS Molecules: A Major Concern for the Human Health and the Environment

“…Here, 38 classes and 117 homologues of PFAS were identified revealing a prevalent occurrence of many PFSAs, some chlorinated perfluoropolyether carboxylic acids and twelve different hydrosubstituted perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (H-PFCAs) in the PM. The authors concluded that novel chlorinated polyether PFAS substances currently used as alternatives to legacy PFAS, require future investigation to elucidate their environmental impact in the ecosystems [98]. As already mentioned, the atmospheric dispersion of PFAS substances has profound consequences in their subsequent transport towards multiple environmental media and receptors since wet/dry deposition mechanisms can account for a significant portion of PFAS entrance into the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems [42,[99][100][101][102].…”

Translocation, bioaccumulation, and distribution of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in plants

“…Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been extensively used in consumer products and during industrial processes ( Xu et al., 2020a ; Giesy and Kannan, 2002 ). Owing to the high stability of carbon–fluorine (C—F) bonds in PFASs ( Xu et al., 2020b ), these compounds are very stable and frequently detected throughout numerous environmental media, i.e., atmosphere, soil, water, groundwater, and sediments ( Xu et al., 2021 ; Ahmed et al., 2020a ; Yu et al., 2020 ). Unfortunately, with continual usage and long half-lives, PFASs have been detected in aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals, as well as in humans, making them an important focus of study, particularly as a common environmental toxicant worldwide ( Xu et al., 2017 ).…”

IDSL.UFA assigns high confidence molecular formula annotations for untargeted LC/HRMS datasets in metabolomics and exposomics

“…Cl-PFTrEAs was previously only reported in air samples from eastern China. 40 These compounds may represent a new ubiquitous global contaminant class. IDSL.UFA can only confirm isotopic profiles match (Figure S.11); however, a confirmatory fragment ([M-C 3 F 6 O] - ) was observed for the chemistry of C 12 in MS1 which was consistent with the published MS/MS fragmentation (Figure S.12).…”