Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants that may threaten food safety. Standardized analytical methods for low-fat liquid foods remain limited. This study validates a novel integrated workflow for the simultaneous determination of 12 PFAS in drinking water, plant-based milk alternatives and skimmed milk. Food samples underwent Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction, followed by one-step solid-phase extraction (SPE) cleanup for all matrices before ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis with isotope dilution. The method achieved excellent linearity (R2 ≥ 0.990), limits of quantification (LOQs) of 0.0005 μg/L for water and 0.0040 μg/kg for food matrices, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) ' 20%. Isotopically labelled internal standards compensated matrix effects, avoiding matrix-matched calibration. Analysis of commercial samples showed PFAS concentrations below the LOQ in nearly all cases. This method provides a robust approach for multi-matrix PFAS monitoring and supports improved food safety surveillance.
Validation of an integrated analytical method for the simultaneous quantification of 12 PFAS in drinking water, plant-based milk alternatives and skimmed milk / De Simone, B., De Rosa, E., Di Duca, F., Montuori, P., Esposito, F., Cirillo, T.. - In: FOOD CHEMISTRY. - ISSN 0308-8146. - 526:(2026). [10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.150857]
Validation of an integrated analytical method for the simultaneous quantification of 12 PFAS in drinking water, plant-based milk alternatives and skimmed milk
De Simone, BrunaPrimo
;De Rosa, Elvira;Di Duca, Fabiana;Montuori, Paolo;Esposito, Francesco
Penultimo
;Cirillo, TeresaUltimo
2026
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent contaminants that may threaten food safety. Standardized analytical methods for low-fat liquid foods remain limited. This study validates a novel integrated workflow for the simultaneous determination of 12 PFAS in drinking water, plant-based milk alternatives and skimmed milk. Food samples underwent Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) extraction, followed by one-step solid-phase extraction (SPE) cleanup for all matrices before ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis with isotope dilution. The method achieved excellent linearity (R2 ≥ 0.990), limits of quantification (LOQs) of 0.0005 μg/L for water and 0.0040 μg/kg for food matrices, and relative standard deviations (RSDs) ' 20%. Isotopically labelled internal standards compensated matrix effects, avoiding matrix-matched calibration. Analysis of commercial samples showed PFAS concentrations below the LOQ in nearly all cases. This method provides a robust approach for multi-matrix PFAS monitoring and supports improved food safety surveillance.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
