Determination of Extractable Organically Bound Fluorine (EOF) in Surface Water With Molecular Absorption Spectrometry

Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the Environment
Oral Presentation

Prepared by J. Gantt
Analytik Jena US LLC, 3 Highwood Drive, Suite 103E, Tewksbury, MA, 01876, United States


Contact Information: [email protected]; +1-781-376-9899

ABSTRACT

A wide range of materials based on fluorinated organic compounds with highly
desirable properties has been created during the last decades and their amount is
constantly growing. The chemical resistance and physical properties of fluorinated
organic substances are used in many everyday products and applications,
from pharmaceuticals through fine and specialty chemicals to polymers. The
consequence of the accelerating production of fluorinated organic substances
is their increased occurrence in the environment. Some of these substances
are already listed as persistent organic pollutants by the Stockholm Convention
(Annex B -restriction) and the European water framework directive (WFD).
Besides the known substances further toxic fluorine species can occur due to
decomposition or microbial degradation. The determination of single compounds
is time-consuming and cost-intensive. Therefore, a sensitive screening method
of fluorinated organic compounds as sum parameter enables a fast monitoring
of the environmental pollution. The presented method of the quantitative
determination of extractable organically bound fluorine (EOF) as sum parameter
in surface waters, combines solid phase extraction (SPE) and molecular absorption
spectrometry (MAS).