Rapid and Ultrasensitive Short-Chain PFAS (GenX) Detection in Water via Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy with a Hierarchical Nanofibrous Substrate

GenX, the trade name of hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) and its ammonium salt, is a short-chain PFAS that has emerged as a substitute for the legacy PFAS perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). However, GenX has turned out to be more toxic than people originally thought. In order to monitor and regulate water quality according to recently issued drinking water standards for GenX, rapid and ultrasensitive detection of GenX is urgently needed. For the first time, this study reports ultrasensitive (as low as 1 part per billion (ppb)) and fast detection (in minutes) of GenX in water via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using a hierarchical nanofibrous SERS substrate, which was prepared by assembling ~60 nm Ag nanoparticles on electrospun nylon-6 nanofibers through a “hot start” method. The findings in this research highlight the potential of the engineered hierarchical nanofibrous SERS substrate for enhanced detection of short-chain PFASs in water, contributing to the improvement of environmental monitoring and management strategies for PFASs.