Rapid Characterization of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) by Ion Mobility Spectrometry–Mass Spectrometry (IMS-MS)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are an ensemble of persistent organic pollutants of global interest because of their associations with adverse health outcomes. Currently, environmental PFAS pollution is prolific as a result of the widespread manufacturing of these compounds and their chemical persistence. In this work, we demonstrate the advantages of adding ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) separation to existing LC-MS workflows for PFAS analysis. Using a commercially available drift tube IMS-MS, we characterized PFAS species and isomeric content in both analytical standards and environmental water samples. Molecular trendlines based on intrinsic mass and structural relationships were also explored for individual PFAS subclasses (e.g. PFSA, PFCA, etc.). Results from rapid IMS-MS analyses provided a link between mass and collision cross sections (CCS) for specific PFAS families and are linked to compositional differences in molecular structure. In addition, CCS values provide additional confidence of annotating prioritized features in untargeted screening studies for potential environmental pollutants. Results from this study show that the IMS separation provides novel information to support traditional LC-MS PFAS analyses and will greatly benefit the evaluation of unknown pollutants in future environmental studies.

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Source https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05364
Author Knappe, Detlef
Last Updated December 12, 2025, 20:06 (UTC)
Created December 12, 2025, 20:06 (UTC)
Dataset Type Article
Publication Title Analytical Chemistry
Publication Year 2020