Gas-Phase Detection of Fluorotelomer Alcohols and Other Oxygenated PFAS by Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are incorporated into an ever-increasing number of modern products and inevitably enter the environment and ultimately human bodies. Herein we show that chemical ionization mass spectrometry with iodide reagent ion chemistry is a useful technique for the detection of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and other oxygenated PFAS, including per- and polyfluoro carboxylic acids such as hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid. This technique offers direct, high time resolution measurement capability with parts per trillion by volume (ng m-3) gas-phase detection limits. Measurements were made by direct volatilization of samples without prior processing, allowing for fast measurements and reduced sample treatment compared to established PFAS methods. We demonstrate the utility of this technique by sampling volatile and semivolatile PFAS from fluoro-additives and fluoro-products to quantify levels of FTOHs and identify additional fluorinated compounds for which standards were u...