HRIM Revolutionizes PFAS Forensic Testing: Unveil Isomers & Boost ID Accuracy

The Objective
 

To demonstrate the ability of high-resolution ion mobility (HRIM) to enhance existing chromatographic methods and provide richer insights into samples.

The Challenge
 

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of synthetic organic compounds renowned for their superior chemical stability and resistance, have emerged as an insidious and pervasive global contaminant. With their broad industrial and commercial applications spanning over half a century, these “forever chemicals” have found their way into various environmental matrices, creating significant public health concerns. The inscrutable nature of PFAS, coupled with a lack of comprehensive analytical techniques, has given rise to the concept of PFAS “dark matter.”1 Referring to the subset of PFAS compounds that currently elude detection by conventional, targeted analytical methods, these compounds have effectively remained in “darkness,” and hence, their effects and prevalence are not fully understood.