QuEChERS Extraction of PFAS from Edible Produce with Waters Xevo TQ-XS

The same sources of environmental per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) exposure can also lead to contamination in food sources. Cultivating produce using PFAS contaminated water and soils can lead to the uptake of these compounds into the edible fruits and vegetables portions of plants. Thus, it is beneficial to have a straightforward method to monitor the occurrence of PFAS in produce. For this work, the FDA C-010.01 method based on the QuEChERS extraction method was implemented for extraction of PFAS using DisQuE dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) products followed by highly sensitive LC-MS/MS analysis on ACQUITY UPLC IClass PLUS coupled to Xevo TQ-XS. The method was evaluated in five different commodity types including lettuce, strawberry, cranberry, carrot, and potato. With a few minor adjustments to the FDA method, this approach to PFAS analysis in produce proved to be accurate and robust for a range of 30 PFAS compounds of varying chemistry classes.