A Semi-Automated Workflow for the Extraction and Analysis of 40 PFAS Targets in BiosolidsAutomation & Innovation for Sample Preparation
Oral Presentation
Prepared by E. Parry1, B. Liu2, L. Abu-Al-Halaweh2, A. Stell2, M. Giardina1
1 - Agilent Technologies, 2850 Centerville Rd, Wilmington, DE, 19808, United States
2 - CEM Corporation, 3100 Smith Farm Road, Matthews, North Carolina, 28104, United States
Contact Information: [email protected]; 302-358-7390
ABSTRACT
The presence of PFAS in biosolids, particularly when used as crop fertilizers, has raised significant concerns, prompting the development of new analytical methods for quantitation. EPA Method 1633 has been successfully applied for the extraction and analysis of PFAS in biosolids. However, this method is labor-intensive and time-consuming, requiring triplicate matrix extractions to achieve high PFAS recoveries. To alleviate the burden of sample preparation, an automated approach was developed using the CEM EDGE PFAS™ system for the extraction of PFAS from biosolids. Following the automated transfer of PFAS from the matrix into the extraction solvent, a dual-phase solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge containing polymeric weak anion exchange (WAX) combined with graphitic carbon (Agilent Bond Elut Dual Phase PFAS WAX/Carbon S SPE cartridge) was employed for analyte concentration and reduction of matrix co-extractives. This combination streamlines sample preparation by eliminating the need to manually add bulk graphitic carbon to the sample extracts. This study investigates the performance of automated extraction combined with a dual-layer SPE cartridge for the extraction of PFAS from biosolids in detail. Results demonstrate that this method meets the performance criteria requirements specified in EPA Method 1633.
