Rapid and low-cost PFAS detection with advanced solid-state nanopore chips

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Project Summary/Abstract Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFASs) represent a class of emerging environmental contaminants, resulting from their use in fire suppressants, and presence in landfill leachates and wastewater treatment plant effluent and solids. The presence of PFAS in the environment is a serious concern since they have exhibited hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, thyroid damage, fetal and developmental toxicity, and endocrine disruption. As we begin to understand more about their application and spread and how toxic they can be, it is important and urgent to have a rapid and inexpensive way to detect PFAS. Multiple methods, including LC-MS/MS, GC-MS and ion mobility exist for sensitive and selective detection of PFAS in a variety of modalities. Unfortunately, these methods suffer from limited sample throughput, high detection limits, high operational costs, complex operation, and require knowledge of the specific PFAS chemical structure making them unsuitable for quantifying total PFASs. Several other detection techniques are emerging but are not yet themselves able to reliably determine total PFASs in samples. We seek to enable faster and lower-cost, but still reliable and robust, detection and quantification of total PFASs. This project will chart as-yet unexplored territory in develop an advanced solid-state nanopore chip to meet these urgent and comprehensive needs. Our nanopore instrument features a single-molecule precision and has been used to detect DNA, RNA, proteins and small pharmaceuticals at low concentrations from different forms of samples (liquid, solid, etc.). The approach will be enabled by a unique integration of advanced nanofabrication, high-throughput data collection and reliable data analysis software to improve the overall PFAS detection capabilities. Nanopore chips with tailored pore characteristics (diameter, thickness, coating, etc.) will be fabricated, tested and validated and their storage, stability and reusability will be systematically evaluated. We envision this platform as a first line of defense against PFAS contamination for individuals and private and public environmental protection organizations, and the engineering of an advanced solid-state nanopore chip with single molecule resolution for even broader applications.