A Highly Selective Extraction Approach for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Based on Protein Affinity
Yali Shi1, Juan Wang1, Yaqi Cai1,2,3
1State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
Analytical Chemistry
|June 9, 2020
Summary
A new method uses bovine serum albumin (BSA) to selectively extract per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from water samples. This cost-effective technique offers high recovery rates and improved selectivity for PFAS detection.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent environmental contaminants.
- Conventional extraction methods for PFASs can be costly and solvent-intensive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a selective, cost-effective, and simple extraction method for PFAS detection.
- To utilize protein affinity for enhanced PFAS extraction from aqueous samples.
Main Methods:
- Developed a selective extraction method using bovine serum albumin (BSA) for PFASs.
- Optimized extraction conditions including sample volume, BSA concentration, pH, salinity, and temperature.
- Analyzed PFASs using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).
Main Results:
- Achieved high recoveries (73.3-122.3%) for various PFASs in real-world samples (tap water, river water, urine).
- Demonstrated method limits of quantification ranging from 4.7-133.3 ng/L.
- Protein affinity was confirmed as the primary extraction mechanism, enhancing selectivity.
Conclusions:
- The developed BSA-based method is a promising and cost-effective alternative for PFAS extraction from aqueous samples.
- This method offers improved selectivity and efficiency compared to conventional techniques.
- Provides a novel approach for screening bioaccumulative and toxic PFASs.
