PFAS Analytical Standard Methods
Overview on analytical standard methods for the targeted determination of PFAS in various media by LC-MS/MS
About This Reference
This comprehensive guide presents 17 validated analytical methods for PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) detection and quantification. These methods are representative of current regulatory and industry standards from leading agencies such as USEPA, ISO, ASTM, FDA, and CDC.
The sample matrices that are covered by the methodologies range from drinking water to groundwater, surface water, wastewater, soil, food products, biological tissues, textiles, leather, and consumer products. Each method has been validated through single-laboratory or multi-laboratory studies to ensure reliability and accuracy.
🎯 Why This Reference Matters
PFAS contamination is an environmental and public health concern around the world. Precise detection and quantification of these “forever chemicals” are important in the protection of water supplies, monitoring food for safety, and assurance of regulatory compliance.
For easy access, this source offers scientifically validated methods to scientists, regulators, and other practitioners in the field. It provides a base for harmonized analysis of PFAS to support evidence-based decision-making.
📋 PFAS Analytical Standard Methods
| No. | Method | Media | Validation Status | Method Type | Quantification Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USEPA 537.1 | Drinking water | Multi-lab | Preparation and Analysis | LCMRL: Range from 0.53 ng/L to 6.3 ng/L, depending on analyte |
| 2 | USEPA 533 | Drinking water | Multi-lab | Preparation and Analysis | LCMRL: Range from 1.4 ng/L to 13 ng/L, depending on analyte |
| 3 | USEPA SW-846 Method 3512 and 8327 | Surface water, groundwater, and wastewater | Multi-lab | Preparation (3512) and Analysis (8327) | Not provided |
| 4 | USEPA 1633 (Draft) | Aqueous, Solid, Biosolids, and Tissue | Single-lab | Preparation and Analysis | Not specified |
| 5 | DoD AFFF01 | AFFF Concentrates | Multi-lab | Sampling, preparation, and analysis | LOQ of < 25 ppb for PFOA and PFOS each |
| 6 | ISO 21675 | Unfiltered drinking water, groundwater, and surface water | Multi-lab | Preparation and Analysis | ≥ 0.2 ng/L as LoQ can be achieved |
| 7 | ISO 25101 | Unfiltered drinking water, groundwater, surface water, and wastewaters containing less than 2 g/L solid particulate material | Multi-lab | Preparation and Analysis | Reporting Limit: 2.0 ng/L PFOS and 10 ng/L PFOA |
| 8 | ASTM D7979-20 | Water sludge, influent, effluent, and wastewater | Multi-lab | Preparation and Analysis | MDL (ng/L) = 0.7 (PFTrDA) – 4.6 (PFBA, PFPeA), 47.2 (FDEA), 92.9 (FHEA), 106.8 (FOEA) |
| 9 | ASTM D7968-17a | Soil | Single-lab | Preparation and Analysis | Reporting limit: Ranges from 25 ng/kg to 750 ng/kg, depending on analyte |
| 10 | FDA CAM Method C-010.01 | Food (Bread, Lettuce, Milk, and Fish) | Single-lab | Preparation and Analysis | Not specified |
| 11 | CDC: 6304.09 | Blood Serum | Single-lab | Preparation and Analysis | Limit of Detection: 0.1 ng/mL |
| 12 | CEN/TS 15968 | Coated and impregnated solid articles, liquids and firefighting foams | Validated | Preparation and Analysis | 0.5 µg/L PFOS in extract |
| 13 | CEN/EN 17681-1 | Textiles and textile products | Validated | Preparation and Analysis | PFOA and PFOS LOQ = 2 µg/kg |
| 14 | CEN/TC 230 | Drinking water | Validated | Preparation and Analysis | LOQ: 1 ng/L |
| 15 | ISO 23702-1 | Leather | Multi-lab | Analysis | LOQ (PFOS): 0.2 mg/kg |
| 16 | DIN 38407-42 | Water, waste water and sludge | Multi-lab | Preparation and Analysis | The lower limit of application is 0.01 μg/L, or 0.025 μg/L for treated waste water |
| 17 | DIN 38414-14 | Sludge, compost and soil | Multi-lab | Preparation and Analysis | LoQ: 10 µg/kg |
🔬 Method Inclusion Summary
Overview on PFAS analytes that can be determined by the respective standard LC-MS methods.
| Compound | CAS number | USEPA 537.1 | USEPA 533 | USEPA SW-846 Method 3512/8327 | USEPA 1633 (Draft)* | ISO 25101 | ISO 21675 | ASTM D7979-20 | ASTM D7968-17a | FDA CAM Method C-010.01, Version 2019 | CDC: 6304.09 | CEN/TS 15968 | CEN/TC 230 | ISO 23702-1:2018 (Part 1) | DIN 38407-42:2011 | DIN 38414-14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | 375-22-4 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | 2706-90-3 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) | 307-24-4 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) | 375-85-9 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | 335-67-1 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) | 375-95-1 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) | 335-76-2 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) | 2058-94-8 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) | 307-55-1 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Perfluorotridecanoic Acid (PFTrDA) | 72629-94-8 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA) | 151772-58-6 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA) | 377-73-1 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA) | 863090-89-5 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA) | 376-06-7 | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| Perfluorohexadecanoic acid (PFHxDA) | 67905-19-5 | X | ||||||||||||||
| Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) | 375-73-5 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Perfluoropentane sulfonic acid (PFPeS) | 2706-91-4 | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) | 355-46-4 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||
| Perfluoroheptane sulfonic Acid (PFHpS) | 375-92-8 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) | 1763-23-1 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Perfluorononane sulfonic acid (PFNS) | 68259-21-1 | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| Perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (PFDS) | 335-77-3 | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA) | 113507-82-7 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| Perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) | 754-91-6 | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| N-methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA) | 2355-31-9 | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||||
| N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA) | 2991-50-6 | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2FTS) | 757124-72-4 | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) | 27619-97-2 | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2FTS) | 39108-34-4 | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| N-Methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanol (NMeFOSE) | 24448-09-7 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| N-Ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanol (NEtFOSE) | 1691-99-2 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| N-Methyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (NMeFOSA) | 31506-32-8 | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| N-Ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamide (NEtFOSA) | 4151-50-2 | X | X | X | ||||||||||||
| Decafluoro-4-(pentafluoroethyl) cyclohexane sulfonic acid (PFecHS) | 67584-42-3 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| 2-perfluorohexyl ethanoic acid (FHEA) | 53826-12-3 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| 2-perfluorooctyl ethanoic acid (FOEA) | 27854-31-5 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| 2-perfluorodecyl ethanoic acid (FDEA) | 53826-13-4 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| 2H-perfluoro-2-decenoic acid (FOUEA) | 70887-84-2 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| 3-perfluoroheptyl propanoic acid (FHpPA) | 812-70-4 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| 2H-perfluoro-2-octenoic acid (FHUEA) | 70887-88-6 | X | X | |||||||||||||
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) | 13252-13-6 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1- sulfonic acid (11Cl- PF3OUdS) | 763051-92-9 | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||
| 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1- sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS) | 756426-58-1 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||||
| 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA) | 919005-14-4 | X | X | X | X | X | X |