Rapid, Efficient, and High-Throughput Extraction of PFAS from Soil


Abstract

There is increasing concern of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in our environment as a whole, due to their persistent nature. More and more regulation regarding PFAS is being implemented. Having a harmonized method to accurately determine the PFAS content in soil, as well as other solid matrices, is important to this industry. Further, the number of samples and sample types that laboratories are analyzing is rapidly growing. The extraction of PFAS can be challenging, given the susceptibility to contamination and the low levels in which these compounds are present. Existing techniques are predominately manual methods that are not rapid, simple, or efficient. In this study, a high-throughput extraction system that uses microwave technology is explored as an alternative to traditional PFAS sample preparation techniques. This method offers efficient extraction of PFAS from solid matrices in a batch format in under an hour. Extracts were either subject to cleanup following EPA 1633 or diluted for analysis. Acceptable extraction recovery and reproducibility of PFAS soil Certified Reference Material (CRM) is presented for both post extraction workflows.