PFAS analysis has become one of the most technically demanding workflows in environmental chemistry. As regulations become more stringent, laboratories must detect a growing number of compounds at increasingly lower concentrations. The margin for analytical error continues to narrow.
Advances in analytical instrumentation have helped laboratories meet these growing demands. Modern LC-MS/MS systems now offer the exceptional sensitivity needed to quantify PFAS at parts-per-trillion concentrations. However, this capability presents a new analytical challenge: instruments may also detect trace PFAS contamination originating within the laboratory itself.
When the solvent becomes part of the signal
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a broad class of thousands of chemically distinct compounds that vary widely in structure, environmental behavior, and properties. Some have been widely used in industrial processes and consumer products; some have been detected in water, soil, and biological samples.
Because PFAS encompasses such a diverse range of substances, accurate compound-specific analysis is essential. Laboratories, regulators, and researchers rely on PFAS analytical methods to identify which specific compounds are present, at what concentrations, and in what matrices. High-quality analytical data supports sound, science-based decision-making, whether for environmental monitoring, product stewardship, regulatory compliance, or research into the distinct characteristics of individual PFAS substances.
An ultra-low PFAS background in LC-MS solvents is particularly important for short-chain compound analysis, where regulatory reporting limits may approach the detection capabilities of the instrument itself. At those concentrations, solvent-derived signal can become indistinguishable from sample-derived signal, compromising data quality and potentially requiring costly retesting. Chromasolv solvents are evaluated to minimize this interference across a broad range of target analytes.
High-purity solvents support defensible data
High-purity solvents help laboratories maintain clean baselines and preserve the sensitivity modern PFAS methods are designed to achieve. By reducing analytical variability, they improve consistency and comparability of data across batches, instruments, and laboratories.
High-purity solvents also reduce the risk of contamination accumulating within the LC system itself, helping minimize carryover and system memory effects that can influence subsequent injections.
PFAS testing informs regulatory compliance, litigation, remediation strategies, and long-term monitoring programs, making the reliability of every result critical. Laboratories must therefore demonstrate not only that their methods are robust, but also that every material used in the analytical workflow supports accurate, defensible conclusions.
Solvents specifically designed for ultra-trace PFAS analysis can further strengthen a laboratory’s results. By reducing opportunities for contamination while supporting method consistency and reproducibility, they allow scientists to spend more time interpreting results rather than investigating unexpected background signals.
Engineering solvents for today’s PFAS methods
Recognizing evolving analytical demands, Solstice Advanced Materials has expanded its Chromasolv™ portfolio of high-purity chromatography solvents with products specifically evaluated for PFAS analysis.
The solvents are evaluated for suitability through independent third-party testing, and each lot undergoes testing for a panel of short-chain PFAS compounds at ultra-low levels. For laboratories, these measures can:
Reduce the risk of false positives by making it easier to distinguish genuine sample signals from solvent-derived artifacts
Preserve instrument sensitivity when measuring PFAS at regulatory limits
Limit carryover and system memory effects caused by contamination within the LC system
Strengthen confidence in regulatory reporting, with a certificate of analysis for each solvent lot providing evidence of low PFAS background levels.
The foundation for confident PFAS analysis
PFAS analysis will only become more demanding, and meeting these expectations requires confidence in every component of the analytical workflow, starting with the solvent.
For environmental monitoring, drinking water analysis, and other ultra-trace applications, Chromasolv solvents help reduce background interference. They are manufactured under tightly controlled processes to deliver exceptional purity, lot-to-lot consistency, and reproducible analytical performance.
As environmental science advances, the ability to trust what we find will become increasingly important. From cleaner baselines to more confident conclusions, high-purity solvents help provide the foundation for the science of tomorrow.
Newsletters
Receive the latest analytical science news, personalities, education, and career development – weekly to your inbox.
