Assessing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Fish Fillet Using Non-Targeted Analyses

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Toxicology

Background:

• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent, man-made chemicals with widespread environmental presence.
• Fish consumption is a primary human exposure pathway for PFAS.
• Current fish monitoring often overlooks many PFAS compounds and focuses on heavily contaminated areas.

Approach:

• Utilized liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry, and mass spectrometry (LC-IMS-MS) for comprehensive PFAS analysis in fish fillets from North Carolina recreational and drinking water sources.
• Employed suspect screening with an in-house library and non-targeted data analysis to identify a broader range of PFAS beyond routine targets.
• Quantified perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) levels in fillet samples.

Key Points:

• Detected a total of 36 PFAS in fish fillets, with 19 compounds not identifiable by common targeted monitoring methods.
• Individual fish contained a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 22 distinct PFAS.
• Observed concerningly high median fillet PFOS levels ranging from 11.6 to 42.3 ppb.

Conclusions:

• Routine PFAS monitoring in fish should expand to include a wider array of detected compounds.
• Non-targeted PFAS analysis in fish is crucial for accurate exposure assessment, even in areas not presumed to be heavily contaminated.
• Findings underscore the ubiquitous nature of PFAS contamination in fish and the limitations of conventional monitoring strategies.