EPA Draft Method 1633 – Performance Demonstration for Enhanced Workflows.Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the Environment
Poster Presentation
Presented by R. Marfil-Vega
Prepared by O. Shrestha1, H. Niwa2, J. Nagata3, E. Hain1, K. Luo1, C. Gilles1
1 - Shimadzu, 7102 Riverwood Drive, Columbia, MD, 21046, United States
2 - Shimadzu Corporation, Kyoto, , , Japan
3 - Shimadzu Corporation, , , United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 410-910-0884
ABSTRACT
The growing importance of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a global public health threat has driven regulatory action in the United States and other countries. The US EPA has developed methods for the measurement of PFAS in various matrices, the latest for targeted analysis being Draft Method 1633, applicable to the analysis of forty PFAS in water, solids, biosolids, and tissue samples.
Because there are few final standardized methods and effluent limits are not yet defined under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, environmental laboratories are dealing with uncertainty when it comes to monitoring PFAS in wastewater and related samples. As a result, it is critical for environmental laboratories to establish robust analytical workflows to support current and future monitoring demands while also ensuring that their facilities operate sustainably.
In this presentation, we will compare the performance of two analytical workflows vetted against Draft Method 1633 using two LCMS instruments that differ only in their sensitivity specifications. In addition to discussing the achieved sensitivity (LOQs of the 40 targeted PFAS ranged from 0.012 to 0.391 ppb, which were up to 160 lower than the EPA's reported LOQs), we will discuss the importance of other parameters (e.g. reproducibility, robustness, operational cost...) in supporting enhanced analytical workflows.
