Determination of Perfluorinated and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFASs) in PM<sub>10</sub> Samples: Analytical Method, Seasonal Trends, and Implications for Urban Air Quality in the City of Terni (Central Italy)
Simone Moretti,
Silvia Castellini,
Carolina Barola,
Elisabetta Bucaletti,
Chiara Petroselli,
Roberta Selvaggi,
Mara Galletti,
David Cappelletti,
Roberta Galarini
Affiliations
Simone Moretti
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, Via G. Salvemini 1, 06126 Perugia, Italy
Silvia Castellini
Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Carolina Barola
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, Via G. Salvemini 1, 06126 Perugia, Italy
Elisabetta Bucaletti
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Umbria e delle Marche “Togo Rosati”, Via G. Salvemini 1, 06126 Perugia, Italy
Chiara Petroselli
Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Roberta Selvaggi
Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
A quantitative analytical method for PFAS determination in airborne particulate matter (PM) has been developed using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), allowing for the determination of 33 compounds. The procedure was applied to ambient PM10 with limits of quantification for PFAS in the fg m−3 range. PM10 samples collected during a year-long campaign conducted in an urban site in Umbria (Central Italy) have been characterized for their PFAS content. Among the seven detected PFASs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were the most abundant compounds. Furthermore, this work allowed us to obtain the first seasonal trend of airborne PFASs in Central Italy. Seasonal trend analysis shows that PFAS concentration in the atmosphere peaks in summertime. A comparison with trends of other relevant primary and secondary air pollutants determined at the sampling site suggests a secondary nature of the observed PFAS, which are formed in the atmosphere directly from gaseous precursors and can contribute to worsen the urban air quality in summertime.
