A sensitive method for the detection of legacy and emerging per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in dairy milk

• Published in: Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry Vol. 414; no. 3; pp. 1235 - 1243
• Main Authors: Hill, Nicholas I., Becanova, Jitka, Lohmann, Rainer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.01.2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Analytical Chemistry; Animals; Biochemistry; Biosolids; Cattle; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chromatography, Liquid - methods; Contamination; Dairying; Detection limits; Drinking water; Environmental health; Exposure; Extraction (Chemistry); Farms; Fluorocarbons - analysis; Food Analysis - methods; Food contamination; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Science; Laboratory Medicine; Limit of Detection; Methods; Milk; Milk - chemistry; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) – Contaminants of Emerging Concern; Perfluoroalkyl & polyfluoroalkyl substances; Perfluorochemicals; Research Paper; Sulfonamides; Sulfonates; Tandem Mass Spectrometry - methods; United States; United States > US; Dairy milk; AFFF; FTS; PFAS; Extraction method
• ISSN: 1618-2642; 1618-2650
• DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03575-2

There is widespread contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) across the globe, with adverse effects on human and environmental health. For human exposure, drinking water and dietary exposure have been recognized as important PFAS exposure pathway for the general population. Several documented cases of dairy milk contamination by PFAS have raised concerns over this exposure pathway in general. A sensitive method for determination of 27 PFAS in milk was hence modified and applied on raw and processed milk samples from 13 farms across the United States (U.S.). A combination of acid and basic extraction method and ENVI-Carb clean-up achieved recoveries of targeted PFAS between 70 and 141%. The method detection limits (MDL) ranged from 0.8 to 22 ng/L (for 26 PFAS) and 144 ng/L for perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA). The uniqueness of this method is considered in the targeted screening of a broad range of legacy PFAS, as well as perfluorinated sulfonamide species and fluorotelomer sulfonates. No legacy PFAS were detected in 13 milk samples from regions of concern given local use of biosolids or proximity to fire training areas. Overall, then, the uptake of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) from dairy milk in the U.S. is considered low. Graphical abstract