CAS: Portable Absorbable Organic Fluorine Analysis for Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substance Guided Sampling

在化学系化学测量和成像（CMI）项目的支持下，来自德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校（UTA）的查尔斯·p·谢勒（Charles P. Shelor）和他的学生打算制造一种便携式仪器，用于实地测量聚氟烷基和全氟烷基物质（PFAS）。PFAS是一类用于消防泡沫和清洁产品的人造化学品。由于其环境稳定性，PFAS经常被称为“永远”的化学物质。因此，它们在环境中积累，对后代构成挑战。此外，某些类型的PFAS可能会造成重大的健康风险。通常，PFAS是通过液相色谱-串联质谱法（LC-MS/MS）测量的，这是一种高度复杂和昂贵的仪器。由于资本设备的高成本和每次分析的高成本，农村和较不富裕社区的污染程度往往是未知的。此外，工业中心、垃圾填埋场等受影响严重的地区对边缘社区的影响尤为严重。这个项目的目的是研制一种廉价的仪器，能够可靠地测量总有机氟，作为全氟磺酸的侦察替代物，以便后者在必要时进行详细的分析。设想的仪器的尺寸和重量使其非常适合在现场跟踪污染羽流，从而实现实时决策和来源归属。通过迅速查明问题的严重程度，将有助于采取保护公众健康的补救措施。正在开发的仪器首先在过滤器上选择性地从水中浓缩PFAS。该项目旨在开发和功能化过滤介质。过滤器上的PFAS将使用放电产生的聚焦等离子体矿化。等离子体产生高能物质来分解PFAS化合物。消化液通过对氟化物具有高亲和力的微型固相萃取筒。然后在小型填充毛细管离子色谱仪或开管离子色谱仪（OTIC）上进行分离。虽然填充毛细管系统使用的是市售组件，但预计OTIC系统的灵敏度将提高约100倍。此外，由于重量更轻，功耗要求更低，因此更便携。如果取得成功，这一工具的开发和部署预计将对获取PFAS的数据产生重大影响，特别是在全国各地的偏远或农村地区。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) Program in the Division of Chemistry, Charles P. Shelor and his students from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) intend to build a portable instrument for measuring poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the field. PFAS are a class man-made chemicals utilized in fire-fighting foams and cleaning products. PFAS have often been referred to as “forever” chemicals due to their environmental stability. As such, they accumulate in the environment and pose a challenge for generations to come. In addition, some types of PFAS may pose significant health risks. Typically, PFAS are measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), a highly sophisticated and expensive instrument. Due to the high cost of capital equipment and the cost per analysis, the extent of contamination of rural and less affluent communities is often unknown. Further, heavily affected areas such as industrial centers, landfills, etc. disproportionately affect marginalized communities. This project aims to develop an inexpensive instrument capable of reliably measuring total organic fluorine that would serve as a scouting surrogate for PFAS, such that detailed analyses could an be carried by the latter when warranted. The size and weight of the envisioned instrument makes it well suited for tracking contamination plumes in the field enabling real time decisions and source attribution. By rapidly identifying the extent of the problem, remediation measures towards protecting public health would be facilitated.The instrument being developed first selectively concentrates PFAS from water on a filter. The project intends to develop and functionalize the filter media. The PFAS on the filter will be mineralized using a focused plasma produced by discharge. The plasma generates energetic species to break down PFAS compounds. The digest solution then passes through miniature solid phase extraction cartridge which has high affinity for fluoride. Separation is then performed on either a miniaturized packed capillary ion chromatograph or open tubular ion chromatograph (OTIC). While the packed capillary system uses commercially available components, the OTIC system is expected to offer an approximately 100-fold improvement in sensitivity. Additionally, the OTIC is more portable due to the lower weight and reduced power requirements. If successful, development and deployment of this instrument is expected to make a significant impact on data acquisition for PFAS, particularly in isolated or in rural areas around the country.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.