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Use of high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify precursors and biodegradation products of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated compounds in end-user products

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Abstract

Structural identification of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances found in end-user products and their biodegradation products was performed using ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry. Little attention has so far been paid to the environmental burden of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid from compounds with a molar mass of ~2,000. Analysis of end-user waterproofing and stain repellent products revealed the presence of numerous ions with molar masses ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 and complex mass spectra. Ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry determined the accurate mass of the observed ions, allowing the cleavage position and fragment structure to be determined. The precursor structures were determined based on reconstitution of the retrieved fragments. Products of fluorochemical manufacturers before voluntary regulation comprised compounds with plural perfluorooctyl chains. In the current product lines, compounds comprising perfluorobutyl chains were detected. Biodegradation tests using activated sludge revealed that biodegradation products consistent with those reported previously were generated even from complex end-user products. For example, the biodegradation test revealed the formation of N-ethyl perfluorooctane sulfonamido acetic acid and various fluorotelomer acids in the samples. The results of the present study suggest that the environmental burden of these compounds should be reevaluated.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the Environmental Research and Technology Development Fund (B-1002, 2010–2012), research grants for promoting the sound material-cycle society of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (K22037, 2010–2013), Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 26241026), and the Kansai University Grant-in-Aid for progress of research in graduate course, 2012. We thank Mikiya Kitagawa and Toru Yasuhara of Nippon Dionex K.K. of Thermo Fisher Scientific for providing us 2D-liquid chromatography and technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kansai University, 3-3-35 Yamatecho, Suita, Osaka, 564-8680, Japan

    Atsushi Yamamoto, Hirotaka Hisatomi, Tomoshige Ando, Hideya Kawasaki & Ryuichi Arakawa

  2. Osaka City Institute of Public Health and Environmental Sciences, 8-34 Tojocho, Tenoji, Osaka, 543-0026, Japan

    Atsushi Yamamoto, Tomoko Terao & Toshiki Tojo

  3. Hyogo Prefectural Institute of Environmental Science, 3-1-27 Yukihira, Suma, Kobe, Hyogo, 652-0037, Japan

    Shusuke Takemine

  4. Kobe Institute of Health, 4-6 Minatojima Nakamachi, Chuo, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0046, Japan

    Masahiro Yagi

  5. Osaka Municipal Technical Research Institute, 1-6-50 Morinomiya, Joto, Osaka, 536-8553, Japan

    Daisuke Ono

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  1. Atsushi Yamamoto
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  2. Hirotaka Hisatomi
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Correspondence to Atsushi Yamamoto.

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Yamamoto, A., Hisatomi, H., Ando, T. et al. Use of high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify precursors and biodegradation products of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated compounds in end-user products. Anal Bioanal Chem 406, 4745–4755 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7862-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-014-7862-0

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