Determination of 30 PFAS in Pet Food by Liquid Chromatography Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

User Benefits

- Validated method for 30 PFAS in Pet Food meeting all criteria of AOAC SMPR 2023.003 - High precision, excellent recovery, Low Limit of Quantification (LOQ) - Simple and rapid extraction using QuEChERS

Introduction

Per-and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are a diverse group of man-made chemicals used in numerous products since the 1950s. PFAS can enter the food supply by contact in environmentally contaminated areas, during food processing, or exposure to packaging. Because PFAS have been linked to serious health effects, accurate methodology is needed. In this application news, we describe a single laboratory validation study with a rapid extraction of low concentrations of 30 PFAS in pet food using the QuEChERS technique followed by analysis using the Shimadzu Nexera Liquid Chromatograph coupled to a Shimadzu LCMS-8060NX triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. We optimized the chromatography and instrument operating parameters to achieve excellent peak shape, separation, and sensitivity. Sensitivity was improved for 4 PFAS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA, and PFOS. In this study, we spiked samples at three concentrations in triplicate. For greater accuracy, standards were matrix-matched and extracted and spikes were quantified using the isotope dilution technique. Recovery and precision were compared to the requirements of AOAC SMPR 2023.003. In addition, we determined the Limit of Quantitation (LOQ) as the lowest concentration meeting accuracy and precision, ion ratio, retention time, and signal-to-noise ratio criteria of the qualifier ion. All recovery, precision, and LOQ’s met the acceptance criteria of the SMPR. The target analytes, their acronym, chemical abstract number, and experimentally determined LOQ are shown.

April 16, 2026 GMT