Global PFAS Testing Virtual Symposium - Advances in Testing & Occurrence - Day 2

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are now known to be ubiquitous, being detected in several matrices including water, air, soil, animals, commercial products and even in humans.

Yet, only a handful of PFAS have been monitored in detail globally while even fewer have had toxicological evaluations performed on them. With >6,000 estimated to have been commercially produced, the need for robust and reliable testing & analysis of these compounds is critical. This symposium, produced in collaboration with Agilent, will bring together experts in the field of PFAS from across the globe to discuss a wide variety of topics to improve PFAS testing for widescale monitoring and improved data quality in a number of different matrices.

Why Attend?

Learn about:

• The latest advances in quantification of legacy and novel PFAS
• Developing and accreditation for routine and regulatory PFAS methods including EPA and EU guidelines
• Novel analytical techniques to identify new PFAS
• Testing methods optimized for water, air, commercial products, textiles, soil and others.

Day 2 Program

Optimizing Water, Soil, and Serum Sample Extraction for PFAS analysis

• Dr. Bradley Clarke (Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Australia)

The quantification of PFAS from environmental samples is a complicated undertaking due to the high levels of contamination typically observed in most laboratories. Sample preparation and extraction are critical aspects of any workflow for PFAS analysis and demands a serious level of attention, like the LCMS operation. In this talk, I will provide an overview of the sample extraction processes for the extraction of PFAS from water, soil, and serum, including steps taken to reduce sample volume without sacrificing limits of quantification. By attending this presentation you will learn about:

• Common techniques used for water analysis using solid-phase extraction (SPE).
• Approaches for minimising sample volume and use of costly internal standards.
• Workflows for the quick extraction of PFAS from solid matrices.

Optimization and Application of Analytical Methods for Assessing PFAS Treatment and Toxicity

• Dr. Arjun Venkatesan (Associate Director, Center for Clean Water Technology, Stony Brook University, USA)

PFAS are highly persistent and resistant to degradation and have been associated with reproductive toxicity, reduced growth metrics in newborns and elevated cholesterol levels in humans. Currently, there are no federal regulations for PFAS in drinking water and as a result many U.S. states have their own regulation or health advisory levels. Our laboratory at the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology (CCWT) has established a certified PFAS testing facility to support ongoing research focused on their occurrence, fate, treatment, and toxicity. This presentation will summarize our experience in developing various EPA methods for PFAS analysis and highlight some method modifications developed for specific applications. By attending this presentation you will learn:

• How do different EPA methods perform for PFAS quantification?
• What are some challenges in the application of EPA methods for PFAS research?

Uncovering Xenobiotics in Nontargeted Analyses using Ion Mobility Spectrometry, Mass Defect Analysis and Machine Learning

• Erin S. Baker, Ph.D (Associate Professor, North Carolina State University, USA)

The identification of xenobiotics in nontargeted analyses is a vital step in understanding human exposure. Xenobiotic metabolism, excretion, and co-existence with other endogenous molecules however greatly complicates nontargeted studies. This presentation will demonstrate how combining mass defect analysis, machine learning and liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry (LC-IMS-MS) separations enables an in-depth understanding of molecular responses occurring due to chemical exposures. By attending this presentation you will learn about:

• The power of multidimensional LC-IMS-MS platforms for nontargeted analyses.
• The utility of multidimensional libraries for narrowing down potential feature identifications.
• LC-IMS-MS capabilities for improving the detection, identification and validation of endogenous and xenobiotic features.