Rapid quantitation of trace perfluoroalkyl acids in soil by chelating resin-aided extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are widely distributed persistent organic pollutants and their monitoring in environmental media is of wide public concern. Soil matrices are extremely complex, and the efficient and simple extraction of PFAAs from soil remains a challenge for analysts. In this work, we developed a simple and rapid method for the determination of 21 PFAAs in soil using chelating resin assisted extraction combined with LC-MS analysis. The addition of chelating resins was found to be used to remove free heavy metal ions from soil, thereby releasing PFAAs.Treatment with chelating resin greatly improved the extraction efficiency of PFAAs from soil, with the whole extraction process taking only 30 minutes. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the limits of quantification of the 21 PFAAs were in the range of 0.10–1.63 ng/g. Single PFAAs were detected in soil samples at concentrations between 0.10–2.60 ng/g and recovery experiments showed recoveries in the range of 70–126%.