PFAS Contamination in Food
The persistent nature and potential health risks of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have made their monitoring in food a critical focus for researchers and regulators. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) enter the food chain primarily through contaminated water, soil, and air, accumulating in crops, livestock, and seafood. These persistent chemicals can leach into agricultural water supplies from industrial discharge, firefighting foam, and biosolids used as fertilizer, leading to plant uptake and animal exposure through drinking water and feed.
Food Matrices of Interest
Fish and shellfish, particularly from contaminated waters, are common sources of PFAS in the diet, as these compounds bioaccumulate in aquatic organisms. Additionally, dairy products, eggs, and meats can contain PFAS due to contaminated feed and water sources, while processed and packaged foods may be exposed through food contact materials such as nonstick cookware and grease-resistant packaging. Consequently, regulatory agencies frequently test seafood, dairy, meat, produce, and packaged goods to monitor and mitigate PFAS contamination in the food supply. A groundbreaking approach to streamline and enhance PFAS determination in various food samples has been introduced through the FREESTYLE SPE-PFAS robotic system, showcasing automation and precision in detecting these compounds.
Understanding PFAS and the Analytical Challenge
The prevalence and toxicity of PFAS compounds have driven the need for reliable and efficient analytical methods. Traditional PFAS extraction and quantification techniques are labor-intensive and susceptible to contamination from the materials used within the analytical setup. Many laboratories have developed strategies for the determination of PFAS compounds from food samples [1,2]. For example, scientists at the FDA recently released method C-010.03, extending the list of PFAS compounds being monitored in a variety of food samples.
The FREESTYLE SPE-PFAS Solution
The LCTech FREESTYLE SPE-PFAS system revolutionizes the determination of PFAS by automating solid-phase extraction (SPE), a critical step in sample preparation. The system is uniquely designed to exclude fluorine-containing plastics, mitigating contamination and resulting in no measurable blank values—a significant advancement over other existing methods.
The automated system provides clean extracts for injection into LC-MS/MS instrumentation for quantification, enabling high-throughput analysis of multiple food matrices. It has been demonstrated that this setup can effectively extract and quantify up to 30 PFAS compounds with precision and trueness across diverse food types such as butternut squash, peas, breadcrumbs, salmon, tuna, and milk. Figures 1-2 below show the results of a recent study on PFAS determination in food matrices.
7 Advantages of Automated SPE from PFAS in Food Study:
Automation – The FREESTYLE SPE-PFAS system along with the D-EVA centrifugal evaporation option provide automation solutions for both the solid phase extraction and the evaporation steps, significantly reducing manual handling and enhancing reproducibility.
Efficiency – The D-EVA evaporation module allows parallel processing of up to 53 samples with programmable control, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
Accuracy –Â The automated SPE process demonstrated improved extraction efficiencies and reduced matrix interferences compared to samples processed without SPE.
Contamination Control – Rigorous blank testing confirmed the absence of system-induced contamination, a frequent challenge in PFAS analysis.
Versatility- The method was validated across various food samples with PFAS recovery rates ranging from 90-120% and method precision below 16%.
Consistency- Automated SPE provided consistent results, reducing bias and improving data reliability.
Enhanced Workflow Integration- By automating SPE and incorporating advanced evaporation options, the method aligns with the FDA’s method C-010.03 for PFAS analysis in food commodities, simplifying regulatory compliance.
Conclusion: Implications and Future Directions
The FREESTYLE SPE-PFAS system represents a leap forward in food safety analysis, offering a scalable solution to the growing need for PFAS monitoring. Its capacity to streamline workflows and minimize contamination paves the way for widespread adoption in laboratories handling food safety analyses.
References
- Genualdi, S., Young, W., Peprah, E. et al. Analyte and matrix method extension of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food and feed. Anal Bioanal Chem 416, 627–633 (2024).
- Aßhoff, N., Bernsmann, T, Esselen, M, Stahl, T., A sensitive method for the determination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in food and food contact material using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, Journal of Chromatography A, 1730, 465041, (2024).
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