Earth Day 2026: Fluorophilic Interactions in Gas Chromatography: Advancing Ionic Liquid Stationary Phases for the Analysis of Persistent PFAS Pollutants
Our "Earth Day" coverage examines a study using fluorinated ionic liquid stationary phases to analyze forever chemicals.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in industrial applications and pharmaceuticals due to their exceptional chemical stability, hydrophobicity, and lipophobicity. However, these same properties contribute to their persistence in the environment, leading to their classification as “forever chemicals” and raising concerns about bioaccumulation and human health risks. While analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are well established for detecting ionizable PFAS, they are often ineffective for neutral, volatile PFAS like fluorotelomer alcohols. As industries shift toward these alternative PFAS, there is an increasing need for analytical methods capable of effectively separating and detecting them, with gas chromatography (GC) emerging as a more suitable approach.