A Critical Review of A Recommended Analytical and Classification Approach for Organic Fluorinated Compounds with an Emphasis on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).

By Heidelore Fiedler, Todd Kennedy, and Barbara J Henry
October 6, 2020
DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4352

Organic fluorinated compounds have been detected in various environmental media and biota. Some of these compounds are regulated locally (e.g., perfluorononanoic acid maximum contaminant level in drinking water by the New Jersey Dept. of Environmental Protection), nationally (e.g., perfluorooctanoic acid maximum acceptable concentration in drinking water by Health Canada) or internationally (e.g. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants). Globally, regulators and researchers seek to identify the organic fluorinated compounds associated with potential adverse effects, bioaccumulation, mobility and persistence to manage their risks, and, to understand the beneficial attributes they bring to products such as first responder gear, etc. Clarity is needed to determine the best analytical method for the goal of the analyses (e.g., pure research or analysis to determine the extent of an accidental release, monitoring ground water for specific compounds to determine regulatory compliance, establish baseline levels in a river of organic fluorinated substances associated with human health risk prior to a clean-up effort, etc.). Analytical techniques that identify organic fluorine coupled together with targeted chemical analysis will yield information sufficient to identify public health or environmental hazards. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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