High-Purity Solvents for PFAS Analysis

Maximum Sensitivity. Minimal Interference.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) analysis has been introduced into various regulations and legal frameworks, making it necessary to detect and quantify them in the corresponding matrices—mainly water, food, and soil.

With this growing regulatory and legislative focus, there is an increasing need for precise, background-contaminant-free analyses. However, due to the widespread presence of these compounds in everyday life, this has become a major challenge for analytical laboratories.

PFAS are synthetic chemical compounds with carbon-fluorine bonds—extremely stable bonds—that have been used for decades in the manufacture of packaging, non-stick coatings, clothing, and more. However, they are now associated with certain risks to human health.

In response to this new need, Scharlau presents its new range of high-purity solvents specifically developed for PFAS analysis.

These solvents have been manufactured, purified, and packaged to ensure the absence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds. The analysis of these substances is carried out using LC-MS/MS techniques, and the solvents are fully suitable for such methods.

However, due to their properties, neither sample preparation nor compound elution is straightforward. Specific solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges and chromatographic columns are required.

Special care must also be taken with the materials used in the laboratory, ensuring that the sample does not come into contact with plastic materials that could lead to contamination. For this reason, UCT vacuum stations and PFAS-free caps from Macherey-Nagel are ideal allies in this type of analysis.

Given all these considerations, establishing a reliable analytical method becomes a real challenge. Application notes from UCT or Macherey-Nagel will be of great help.

For more information, write to helpdesk@scharlab.com.

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