Revealing organofluorine contamination in effluents and surface waters with complementary analytical approaches: Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F-NMR) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Environmental Science & Technology
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Abstract

Fluorinated organic contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and fluorinated pesticides and pharmaceuticals (FPPs), pose a persistent threat to environmental health. Widely used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods fail to capture large fractions of total organofluorine in environmental samples, confounding the assessment of fluorinated contamination. Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F-NMR) is an inclusive method for total and class-based organofluorine analysis. Here, we apply 19F-NMR to 31 effluent, surface water, and foam samples collected at 13 potential organofluorine point sources or source regions and compare the results to targeted LC-MS/MS for 34 or 64 PFASs. LC-MS/MS detected a median of 11.4% of total organofluorine detected by 19F-NMR (range: nondetect to 8190 nM F 19F-NMR; nondetect to 8010 nM F LC-MS/MS). The highest 19F-NMR total organofluorine concentrations, detected in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)-associated foam and at a soy oil production facility, arose from resonances characteristic of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl chains. 19F-NMR resonances from aryl CF3 moieties were abundant in the WWTP-associated samples, consistent with prior reports of substantial contributions from pharmaceuticals to WWTP effluents. 19F-NMR enables the quantitative assessment of total organofluorine and qualitative insight into fluorinated structures, providing complementary analysis of organofluorine compounds missed by targeted mass spectrometry-based protocols.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Revealing organofluorine contamination in effluents and surface waters with complementary analytical approaches: Fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F-NMR) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
Series title Environmental Science & Technology
DOI 10.1021/acs.est.5c05079
Volume 59
Issue 28
Publication Date July 09, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher ACS Publications
Contributing office(s) Central Midwest Water Science Center, WMA - Laboratory & Analytical Services Division, Upper Midwest Water Science Center
Description 12 p.
First page 14695
Last page 14706
Additional publication details