North Carolina Collaboratory Expands PFAS Research Capabilities

On March 27th, the North Carolina Collaboratory, which is an organization focused on advancing scientific research for policymaking in the state of North Carolina, announced a partnership with instrument manufacturer Thermo Fisher Scientific to purchase five mass spectrometry instruments from them to advance the state of North Carolina’s efforts in analyzing per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment (1). The goal of this partnership will be to implement workable solutions to address PFAS contamination.

PFAS are defined as synthetic chemicals with unique properties (2). PFAS are commonly used in consumer products such as non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, and food packaging because they have heat-resistant and water- and oil-repellent properties (2). PFAS contamination is a concern for living organisms and the environment, so being able to detect and quantify PFAS is important to ensure the sustainability of the planet. PFAS are persistence in the environment; they bioaccumulate and they are associated with human health effects including developmental, reproductive, and immune system disorders.

These “forever chemicals” have also contaminated water supplies, which led to the passage of the Water Safety Act in the State of North Carolina’s 2018 budget (1). The Water Safety Act appropriated $5 million toward the creation of the North Carolina PFAS Testing Network (NC PFAST Network), comprising many researchers from the main universities residing in North Carolina, to study and conduct research on PFAS toxicology for the goal of implementing solutions to solving issues created by PFAS contamination (1).

“Through generous recurring appropriations from the General Assembly, we have secured forever funding for ‘forever chemicals.’ The next step is continuing to learn about and research these compounds, such that new, innovative solutions can be developed to safeguard communities and ecosystems in our State and across the country. In addition, researchers are continuing to provide robust datasets and analyses to inform policymakers and State agencies to better understand this extremely complicated issue,” said Jeff Warren, executive director of the NC Collaboratory, in a press release (1).

Thermo Fisher Scientific’s partnership with the NC PFAST Network continues to advance the goals of the NC PFAST Network. The five MS instruments that Thermo Fisher Scientific has provided the North Carolina Collaboratory will help researchers conduct their research.

“These instruments collectively provide a holistic suite of unique capabilities to the PFAST Network, unmatched by any other vendor,” said Lee Ferguson, a PFAST Network investigator, in a press release (1). “The continued partnership between Thermo Fisher Scientific and the PFAST Network will allow for close collaboration between scientists from both organizations, maximizing the utility of these new technologies in protecting North Carolina from impacts of PFAS exposure.”

The first MS instrument is a new Orbitrap Astral mass spectrometer that will be placed in Professor Lee Ferguson’s laboratory at Duke University. This MS instrument is designed to be able to conduct fully comprehensive analysis of known and unknown PFAS in environmental samples at ultra-trace levels (1).

Next, two Orbitrap Exploris GC systems will be added to Professor Heather Stapleton’s (Duke) and Professor Detlef Knappe’s (NCSU) laboratories. This instrument is designed to detect semi-volatile PFAS in the indoor environment and volatile thermal breakdown products of PFAS treatment technologies (1).

The third instrument Thermo Fisher provided in the Orbitrap Exploris 240 Isotope Solutions system, which will be placed in Professor Ralph Mead’s laboratory at UNC-Wilmington. This instrument is designed to enable source-tracing and high-resolution forensic analysis of PFAS in the environment (1).

And finally, the fifth MS instrument is the iCAP-TQ inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) in Professor Pingping Meng’s laboratory at East Carolina University. The instrument is meant to help develop new and sensitive total PFAS measurements for mass balance studies during PFAS treatment experiments (1).

The addition of these analytical tools will help researchers in North Carolina address community concerns regarding PFAS toxicity. This collaboration between NC PFAST Network and Thermo Fisher Scientific advances PFAS research and drives solutions for a more sustainable future.

References

(1) Revere, C. North Carolina Expands PFAS Research Capacity Through Collaboratory’s $3 Million Investment. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Collaboratory. Available at: https://collaboratory.unc.edu/news/2024/04/02/north-carolina-expands-pfas-research-capacity-through-collaboratorys-3-million-investment/ (accessed 2024-04-03).

(2) Hird, S.; Potts, W.; Rosnack, K. Analytical Techniques in Exploring the PFAS Problem. LCGC Supplements 2023, 41 (s9), 32–34. DOI: 10.56530/lcgc.na.da4881y5