Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) or Interference? Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry as an Investigative Tool in Food Analysis

Accurate quantification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food is necessary to understand potential dietary exposure. While beneficial for most applications, quantification of PFAS using low-resolution triple quadrupole instruments can be complicated by the presence of co-eluted interferences, which can result in false positives or inaccurate PFAS concentrations. This article discusses the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) to distinguish between matrix interferences and PFAS compounds in a variety of food matrices, and incorporation of these interferences into routine triple quadrupole methods for monitoring.