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DEVELOPMENT OF AN EPA METHOD FOR PERFLUOROALKYL COMPOUNDS IN DRINKING WATER
Citation:
SHOEMAKER, J. A. DEVELOPMENT OF AN EPA METHOD FOR PERFLUOROALKYL COMPOUNDS IN DRINKING WATER. Presented at Water Quality Technology Conference, Denver, CO, November 05 - 09, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
The objective of this research effort is to develop analytical methods to be used to measure the occurence of priority water pollutants in the nation's drinking water supplies. To accomplish this objective, ORD scientists must first coordinate with staff from the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) to identify the most appropriate chemical contaminants for which analytical methods need to be developed, and then ORD must develop, and demonstrate the applicability of, new or improved analytical methods, that are specific, sensitive, and practical enough for application in commercial laboratories as part of the UCMR monitoring efforts.
Description:
Over the past five years, perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs) in water have become an emerging environmental issue. This research focuses on the development of an analytical method for the determination of perfluoroalkyl compounds in drinking water to be used by EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water for the potential future collection of nationwide occurrence data. Drinking water samples are concentrated by solid phase extraction and analyzed using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Preliminary recovery data were obtained for 16 out of 17 targeted (PFCs). For reagent water fortified at 25 ng/L, recoveries ranged from 70 to 103% with a relative standard deviation of 2-10%.