Determination of trace levels of total fluorine in water using combustion ion chromatography for fluorine: a mass balance approach to determine individual perfluorinated chemicals in water

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) such as perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) have received worldwide attention because of their environmental persistence and widespread distribution. Because of the lack of robust analytical methods and standards to detect all of the PFCs, and their precursors and metabolic intermediates, a mass balance approach involving the determination of total fluorine (TF), followed by fractionation of samples to separately determine inorganic and organic fluorine, is needed. In this study, we have developed a method to determine low microg/L levels of total fluorine (TF) in seawater samples. Further, seawater samples were fractionated into organic and inorganic fractions by extraction with organic solvents, which were then analyzed for TF, extractable organic fluorine (EOF) and inorganic fluorine (IF; i.e., fluoride). Concentrations of known perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) including PFOS and PFOA were also determined in water samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to enable calculation of the fraction of fluorine that is contributed by PFCs to TF. A major proportion of fluorine in seawater was in the form of fluoride (>90% in locations not affected by direct discharges). Nevertheless, within the organofluorine fraction, a major percentage (60-90%) of fluorine still remains unknown in water samples, suggesting the occurrence of other fluorinated acids in addition to known perfluorinated acids. Further studies are needed to identify and quantify the unidentified organofluorines in seawater. Mass balance analysis of total organic fluorine (TOF) and EOF is important, if we are to understand transport and fate of fluorinated compounds in the environment, and if we are to identify the sources of unidentified fluorinated compounds.     

Comparison of total fluorine, extractable organic fluorine and perfluorinated compounds in the blood of wild and pefluorooctanoate (PFOA)-exposed rats: Evidence for the presence of other organofluorine compounds

The widespread occurrence and environmental persistence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) received worldwide attention recently. Exhaustive analysis of all fluorinated compounds in an environmental sample can be daunting because of the constraints in the availability of analytical standards and extraction methods. Combustion ion chromatographic technique for trace fluorine analysis was used to assess the concentrations of known PFCs (e.g., PFOS, PFOA) and total fluorine (TF) in the blood of wild rats collected from Japan. The technique was further validated using tissues from PFOA-exposed rats. Six PFCs (PFOS, PFOSA, PFUnDA, PFDA, PFNA, and PFOA) were detected in all of the wild rat blood samples. Concentrations of extractable organic fluorine (EOF) in fraction 1 (Fr1; MTBE extraction) of wild rats ranged 60.9-134 ng F mL⁻¹, while those in fraction 2 (Fr2; hexane) were below LOQ (32 ng F mL⁻¹); TF concentrations in the blood of wild rats ranged from 59.9-192 ng F mL⁻¹. The contribution of known PFCs in EOF-Fr1 (MTBE) varied from 9% to 89% (56% on average), and known PFC concentrations in TF content were less than 25%. In contrast, TF concentrations in the blood of PFOA-exposed rats ranged from 46900 to 111000 ng F mL⁻¹, with PFOA contributing over 90% of TF. A comparison of results from the samples analyzed in this study and the literature revealed three distinct groups with PFOA/known PFC and TF levels (i.e., wild rats and general population, occupationally exposed workers, and PFOA-exposed laboratory rats). The mass balance analysis of the different forms of fluorine in blood suggested the presence of other forms of organic fluorine in addition to known PFCs.     

Determination of total fluorine in blood at trace concentration levels by the Wickbold decomposition method with direct potentiometric detection

The Wickbold decomposition method in combination with differential potentiometric detection via fluoride ion-selective electrode has been applied to analysis of total fluorine in biological matrices. The performance of the method has been evaluated for determination of total fluorine in rat blood. Total mineralization of the biological sample is achieved by combustion of the sample in oxygen/hydrogen flame and subsequent absorption of the resulting fluoride in aqueous absorption medium. The fluoride is then quantified by highly selective automated differential static potentiometry with fluoride ion-selective electrode. Total fluorine determination has been evaluated in terms of sample carryover, reproducibility, precision, as well as feasibility to routine analysis of alternative biological matrices. Our results indicate that, up to 100 ppm fluorine in blood, the method does not suffer from sample carryover. Limits of quantitation of 0.5 ppm and limits of detection of 0.24 ppm fluorine in 0.5 g blood samples were achieved by elimination of inherent limitations of fluoride ion-selective electrode detection via automated differential static potentiometric measurements. The Wickbold decomposition method was found to be suitable for routine total fluorine determination in blood samples despite its relatively low throughput and high operator skill requirements.     

Determination of traces of organic fluorine in hydrocarbons

Organic samples containing down to 0.2 ppm of fluorine may be analysed by first converting the organic fluorine into inorganic fluoride by treatment with sodium biphenyl, followed by removal of diverse cations with a cation-exchanger before conductometric titration with lanthanum acetate. Effect of variables, sources of error, and control of reagent blanks are evaluated. For the 0.2-1 ppm organic fluorine level in synthetic blends made from 1-fluoronaphthalene, the relative estimated standard deviation was 7.8%; the mean relative error was 6.2 %. Based on the mean range from duplicate analyses of catalytically processed samples in the C(12) boiling range, at the 1 ppm fluorine level the estimated standard deviation was 0.087 ppm of fluorine. One analyst can determine the fluorine content of about 12 samples in 8 hr.     

HPLC-MS/MS与ICP-MS分别测定血液中14种全氟化合物及常见金属元素

为了解广东儿童血液中全氟化合物(PFCs)和常见金属元素的含量水平,为儿童健康评估提供数据,该文采用蛋白沉淀法提取样品,高效液相色谱-串联质谱(HPLC-MS/MS)检测样品中14种PFCs。同时,以石墨全自动消解仪消解血液样品,电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)检测血液中钙(Ca)、镁(Mg)、铁(Fe)、锌(Zn)、铜(Cu)和锰(Mn)元素。结果显示,儿童血液中14种PFCs被普遍检出,其中全氟辛基磺酸(PFOS)和全氟辛基羧酸(PFOA)的检出率及浓度最高,但在一些个体中发现较高浓度的其它碳链PFCs。PFCs浓度有随着年龄增长而下降的趋势,但除了全氟丁基磺酸外,无性别差异。另一方面,儿童血液中检出的Ca、Mg、Fe、Zn、Cu和Mn含量在正常范围内,未发现有性别差异。研究显示PFCs普遍存在儿童血液中,儿童PFCs暴露水平的研究应引起重视。在今后的监测中,不仅要关注PFOS和PFOA,也要关注其它碳链PFCs。     

Extreme modulation properties of aromatic fluorine

Thorough examination of the current literature as well as publicly available databases allowed us to qualify aromatic fluorine as a unique modulator of biological properties of organic compounds. In some rare cases, introduction of fluorine increased biological activity 100,000 times and even higher. We have also identified several examples where aromatic fluorine substantially reduced biological activity. Selected individual cases of extreme modulation are presented and discussed in the paper.     

Flow-injection determination of total organic fluorine with off-line defluorination reaction on a solid sorbent bed

Considering recent reports on widespread occurrence and concerns about perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in environmental and biological systems, analysis of these compounds have gained much attention in recent years. Majority of analyte-specific methods are based on a LC/MS/MS or a GC/MS detection, however many environmental or biological studies would benefit from a total organic fluorine (TOF) determination. Presented work was aimed at developing a method for TOF determination. TOF is determined as an amount of inorganic fluoride obtained after defluorination reaction conducted off-line using sodium biphenyl reagent directly on the sorbent without elution of retained analytes. Recovered fluoride was analyzed using flow-injection system with either fluorimetric or potentiometric detection. The TOF method was tested using perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), as model compounds. Considering low concentrations of PFAS in natural samples, solid-phase extraction as a preconcentration procedure was evaluated. Several carbon-based sorbents were tested, namely multi-wall carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibres and activated carbon. Good sorption of all analytes was achieved and defluorination reaction was possible to carry out directly on a sorbent bed. Recoveries obtained for PFCAs, adsorbed on an activated carbon sorbent, and measured as TOF, were 99.5 ± 1.7, 110 ± 9.4, 95 ± 26, 120 ± 32, 110 ± 12 for C4, C6, C8, C10 and C12-PFCA, respectively. Two flow systems that would enable the defluorination reaction and fluoride determination in a single system were designed and tested.     

A titrimetric method for estimation of fluorine in organic compounds

A simple and rapid titrimetric method for estimation of fluorine in organic compounds and fluoropolymers is reported. It involves combustion of the sample in oxygen, absorption of the combustion products in an aqueous solution of Ce(III) nitrate and glycerol, containing hexamethylenetetramine, and finally titration with EDTA, with Xylenol Orange and Methylene Blue as screened indicator.     

HRGC-MS and HPLC-MS identification of new ketosterols in an extract of wheat straw

An ethereal extract of wheat (Triticum aestivum) straw with a positive biological assay for allelopathic activity, has been analyzed by HRGC. By means of HRGC-MS the extract composition was assessed as a complex mixture of organic acids and sterolic compounds. The sterolic fraction was subsequently separated and further studied by HRGC-MS and HPLC-MS. Among the thirty seven components identified, some described for the first time in wheat straw, two new ketostero's were characterized by means of their MS spectra. The potential of the particle-beam (PB) interface in HPLC-MS studies of unknown mixtures is exemplified and compared with that of HRGC-MS.     

Detection of perfluorocarbons in blood by headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

A new method of detection of perfluorocarbon molecules (PFCs) in blood sample has been established. After an extraction and pre-concentration step performed by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), the PFCs are detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with an ion trap mass spectrometer in MS and MS/MS modes. The influence of different parameters on the SPME process is discussed. The limit of detection and the linearity of the procedure have been determined for two PFCs.     

A validated analytical method for the determination of perfluorinated compounds in surface-, sea- and sewagewater using liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which are extensively used in a wide variety of applications because of their specific surfactant properties, have recently appeared as an important new class of global environmental pollutants. Quantitative analysis of PFCs in aqueous matrices remains, however, a challenging task. During this study, a new analytical method for the determination of 14 PFCs in surface-, sewage- and seawater was developed and validated. The target analytes were extracted using solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (LC–ToF-MS). The use of very narrow mass tolerance windows (<10 ppm) resulted in a highly selective MS-technique for the detection of PFCs in complex aqueous matrices. Validation of this analytical method in surface-, sewage- and seawater resulted in limits of quantification (LOQs) varying from 2 to 200 ng L⁻¹, satisfying recoveries (92–134%), and good linearity (R² = 0.99 for most analytes). Analysis of samples of the North Sea, the Scheldt estuary, and three harbours of the Belgian coastal region led to the detection of four different PFCs. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was found to be the most abundant PFC in levels up to 38.9 ng L⁻¹.     

Comparative study of matrices for their use in the rapid screening of anabolic steroids by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

New data on sample preparation and matrix selection for the fast screening of androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) is presented. The rapid screening of 15 steroids included in the World Anti‐Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list using MALDI was evaluated. Nine organic and two inorganic matrices were assessed in order to determine the best matrix for steroid identification in terms of ionisation yield and interference by characteristic matrix ions. The best results were achieved for the organic matrices 2‐(4‐hydroxyphenylazo)benzoic acid (HABA) and trans‐3‐indoleacrylic acid (IAA). Good signals for all the steroids studied were obtained for concentrations as low as 0.010 and 0.050 µg/mL on the MALDI sample plate for the HABA and IAA matrices, respectively. For these two matrices, the sensitivity achieved by MALDI is comparable with the sensitivity achieved by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), which is the conventional technique used for AAS detection. Furthermore, the accuracy and precision obtained with MALDI are very good, since an internal mass calibration is performed with the matrix ions. For the inorganic matrices, laser fluences higher than those used with organic matrices are required to obtain good MALDI signals. When inorganic matrices were used in combination with glycerol as a dispersing agent, an important reduction of the background noise was observed. Urine samples spiked with the study compounds were processed by solid‐phase extraction (SPE) and the screening was consistently positive. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

加速溶剂萃取-高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定空气中的全氟化合物

建立了加速溶剂萃取-高效液相色谱-串联质谱法(ASE-HPLC-MS/MS)测定环境空气样品中全氟化合物(PFCs)的分析方法。采用PS-1型大流量采样器采集环境空气样品,聚氨酯(PUF)收集空气,石英纤维滤膜(QFF)收集空气颗粒物。采用ASE萃取采样后的PUFs和QFFs,萃取剂为甲醇-丙酮(1∶1,V/V),萃取温度100℃,萃取压力15MPa,静态萃取时间15min,连续萃取3次。萃取液经K-D浓缩后转换溶剂为甲醇,采用HPLC-MS/MS测定PFCs的含量。线性范围在0.1～50μg/L之间,方法检出限在0.034～0.54pg/m3范围。应用本方法检测2007年5～6月在广州市采集的环境空气样品,蒸气态PFCs的总含量在5.2～37.4pg/m3范围内,颗粒态PFCs的总含量在11.3～74.3pg/m3范围内。本方法适用于监测环境空气中的痕量PFCs。     

Automated analysis of perfluorinated compounds in human hair and urine samples by turbulent flow chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are ubiquitous contaminants of humans and animals worldwide. PFCs are bioaccumulated because of their affinity for proteins. It has been shown they could have a variety of toxicological effects and cause damage to human health, emphasizing the need for sensitive and robust analytical methods to assess their bioaccumulation in humans. In this paper we report the development and validation of an analytical method for analysis of PFCs in the non-invasive human matrices hair and urine. The method is based on rapid and simple sample pre-treatment followed by online turbulent flow liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (TFC–LC–MS–MS) for analysis of 21 PFCs. The method was validated for both matrices. Percentage recovery was between 60 and 105 for most compounds in both matrices. Limits of quantification ranged from 0.1 to 9 ng mL⁻¹ in urine and from 0.04 to 13.4 in hair. The good performance of the method was proved by investigating the presence of selected PFCs in 24 hair and 30 urine samples from different donors living in Barcelona (NE Spain). The results were indicative of bioaccumulation of these compounds in both types of sample. PFOS and PFOA were most frequently detected in hair and PFBA in urine.     

Probing the nature of three-centered hydrogen bonds in minor-groove ligand-DNA interactions: the contribution of fluorine hydrogen bonds to complex stability

Double-stranded DNA sequences have been prepared in which single atoms (the O2-carbonyls of selected thymines) have been replaced by fluorine or methyl. To maintain normal Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding with the complementary purines, these analogue derivatives have been prepared as C-nucleosides. The O2-carbonyls of interest for this study are those involved in a bifurcated (or three-centered) hydrogen bond with the minor groove binding ligand 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). TM studies of the duplexes illustrate that the DNA duplexes are destabilized when fluorine or methyl replaces one or both of the minor groove O2-carbonyls, which can in part be explained by changes in minor groove hydration. In the presence of DAPI, most of the duplexes exhibit an increased TM due to the presence of DAPI bound in the minor groove. The extent of helix overstabilization negatively correlates with the presence of one or both methyl groups in the minor groove, suggesting that ligand binding is weakened in the presence of the non-carbonyl functional groups. The presence of single fluorine appears to promote helix stabilization, and native-like stabilization occurs when both fluorines are present. KD values quantitate binding effects between DAPI and the native and analogue sequences. Sequences with one or both methyl groups exhibit very poor binding with DAPI, while those containing a single fluorine behave essentially like native carbonyl-containing sequences. With both fluorines present, KD values were observed to increase by a moderate 3-fold at 100 mM NaCl and somewhat more at 200 mM NaCl. Binding affinities with both methyl groups present were 500-1000-fold weaker than native. The results suggest that organofluorines can function as hydrogen-bond acceptors, at least in the bifurcated interaction that contributes to minor groove binding by DAPI.     

Isolation of water-soluble organic matter from atmospheric aerosol

The development of a solid phase extraction (SPE) method is presented, which is capable of isolating approx. 60% of the water-soluble organic compounds from aerosol samples. The aqueous extracts of the filter samples were acidified then passed through an SPE column. Four silica-based and two polymeric reversed phase columns were tested and similar recoveries of the organic carbon were found. The isolated organic matter was nearly free from inorganic ions, which are major constituents of atmospheric aerosol. This fraction accounted for a major part of the UV absorption above 250 nm and fluorescence activity of the aerosol extract. The precision of the method was tested by performing three parallel sample preparations with Oasis HLB columns. It was found that the relative standard deviation of the carbon content of the isolated organic matter was better than 7%, which indicated the reliability of the method. In the atmospheric aerosol research the newly developed sample preparation method facilitates the physical and chemical characterisation of water-soluble organic compounds without the interference of inorganic constituents.     

Accuracy and precision in the determination of perfluorinated chemicals in human blood verified by interlaboratory comparisons

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) are analyzed in laboratories worldwide to determine human blood levels and exposure pathways. The development of the analytical technique has been rapid in the last 10 years, and prerequisites for accurate and precise determination of PFCs in human blood at low ng/g concentrations are today readily available. The main contributing factors are the improved LC–MS instrumentations, the increased availability of native and mass labeled PFC standards, and new column materials available for chromatographic separations. The results of the first international interlaboratory study (ILS) in 2005 on PFCs revealed relatively better analytical results for human blood analyses when compared to analyses of a number of environmental matrices. The representative accuracy for the analyses of PFCs in human matrixes reported in recent years was established in the second human serum ILS in 2006. Interlaboratory standard deviations for the two human serum samples one low level concentration and one medium level concentration were found to be 12% and 16% for PFOS, respectively, and 47% and 21% for PFOA, respectively. Reported detections for all PFCs followed a frequency of PFOS > PFOA > PFHxS > PFNA > PFDA ? PFDoA ? PFDS ? PFHxA. Due to the small number of reported values for the other perfluorosulfonates and perfluorocarboxylates, standard deviations were not established.     

Proline dipeptides containing fluorine moieties as oganocatalysts for the asymmetric aldol reaction

A series of dipeptide analogues consisting of proline, phenylalanine and aniline- or phenol-fluorine derivatives were synthesized. Their catalytic ability was evaluated in the intermolecular asymmetric aldol reaction, both in organic and aqueous media. Aniline-fluorine derivatives proved to be superior and the best results were obtained, when 2-CF₃ aniline was employed. A diverse substrate scope consisting of both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes, as well as different ketones was demonstrated, where aromatic aldehydes afforded products in high yields (up to 100%) with excellent diastereo- (up to 95:5) and enantioselectivities (up to 97%), whereas the aliphatic aldehydes afforded also excellent selectivities, but relatively low yield. A simple addition of fluorine to a dipeptide analogue affords organocatalysts with new interesting properties that can catalyze the aldol reaction more efficiently.     

Structural effects of fluorine substitution in proteins

The consequences of substitution of fluorine for the para hydrogen of a phenylalanine residue in ribonuclease-S were investigated by conformational energy calculations using the AMBER force field. Both the fluorine-containing protein and the corresponding nonfluorinated material were subjected to conformational adjustment through energy minimization and the minimum energy structures so defined were compared. Fluorine substitution leads to small alterations in many atomic positions in the protein, with adjustments at at sites more than 0.5 nm from the fluorine appearing to be somewhat larger than those within the immediate vicinity of the fluorine. Several atoms proximate to the fluorine atom were observed to move toward the fluorine while others in the same vicinity move away. The greater bulk of the fluorine atom and the strongly different electronic properties of fluorine compared to hydrogen thus appear to be insufficient to cause a consistent, unidirectional change in nearest-neighbor interactions upon introduction of a fluorine atom into a protein structure. Virtually all changes in atomic positions that are predicted by these calculations would be barely detectable by a crystallographic study with a resolution of 0.2 nm.     

Development of an analytical method for the determination of antidepressants in water samples by capillary electrophoresis with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection

A method for the quantitative determination of major antidepressants in aqueous matrices by CE using ESI-MS is presented. Several aqueous, nonaquoeus, and mixed aqueous/organic solvent BGEs including inorganic and organic acids were investigated with respect to their suitability for the separation of the selected analytes. Finally, due to the necessity to employ MS detection if the developed method should be suitable also for environmental samples, only MS-compatible electrolytes were taken into account. Based on this fact optimum results were obtained with a system consisting of 1.5 M formic acid and 50 mM ammonium formate in ACN/water (85/15). Linear calibration plots could be obtained for all solutes over a concentration range of almost two orders of magnitude, and the LODs achieved were in the range of 3-6 microg/L for trazodone and 39-43 microg/L for sertraline with the TOF instrument and the single quadrupole instrument in the SIM mode, respectively. This fact allowed the assumption that the presented method can be regarded as suitable for the determination of antidepressants even in the trace amounts commonly present in environmental samples. Spiking of river water and sewage plant effluent extracts with the selected solutes showed that no interferences from the matrix usually found in such samples can be expected. Finally the quantitative determination of the seven antidepressants in environmental samples was used to benchmark the performance of CZE coupled to a single quadrupole MS and a TOF-MS.