Recent advances in pretreatment technologies for the analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent pollutants with shifting pollution characteristics toward short-chain and structurally diverse variants, posing great challenges for precise analysis. Pretreatment, as a rate-limiting step, lacks systematic guidance for technology selection. This review makes a unique contribution by constructing a "target substance characteristics-sample matrix-detection requirements" three-dimensional matching framework, systematically categorizing pretreatment technologies into solvent-based, adsorption-based, and advanced types, and dissecting their mechanisms, advantages, limitations, and applicability. Solvent-based technologies excel in long-chain PFASs analysis in simple matrices, while adsorption-based methods enable efficient enrichment of short-chain PFASs via functional materials, and advanced technologies meet green and complex matrix demands. Background contamination control strategies are also emphasized. Current challenges include inefficient short-chain enrichment, high material costs, and underdeveloped on-site devices. Critical needs involve the development of functional solvents, artificial intelligence-driven adsorbents, standardized protocols, and full-process PFASs-free systems. This review provides actionable references for PFASs analysis optimization.