Across labs worldwide, analysts are tasked with identifying per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water, soil, and air. These chemicals are notoriously persistent, defined by their strongest carbon-fluorine bonds that resist degradation and allow them to accumulate over time. Their impact on environmental and human health has made PFAS testing a critical component of modern analytical workflows.

But at ultra-trace levels, accuracy depends on more than instrumentation.

The Contamination You Don't See
For techniques like LC-MS/MS, even minimal background interference can distort results. A slight baseline shift can be misread as contamination. A trace signal can trigger unnecessary remediation—or worse, mask a real hazard.

What's often overlooked is where that interference originates.

Lab water is one of the most widely used, and least suspected, sources of PFAS contamination. Even systems labeled "ultrapure" or bottled LC-MS-grade water can introduce impurities that accumulate over time and affect analytical performance.

Rethinking "Ultrapure" Water for PFAS Analysis
In PFAS workflows, ultrapure water is not a given—it's a requirement that must be validated.

Effective purification relies on a multi-barrier approach: reverse osmosis to reject broad range of PFAS contaminants, activated carbon to reduce long-chained PFAS load, and ion-exchange polishing to push concentrations below detection limits. Systems that integrate UV treatment and real-time TOC monitoring further help maintain consistency by preventing organic buildup that can interfere with LC-MS baselines.

This is where purpose-built systems like the Arium® Pro VF come into focus. Designed for high-sensitivity applications, it combines these purification technologies with integrated UV lamp, real-time TOC monitoring, and optimized purification design to help minimize background contamination and maintain consistent water quality for PFAS analysis.

Equally important is what happens after purification. Stored water can be re-exposed to environmental contamination before it ever reaches the sample. Fresh, on‑demand water production minimizes contact time with materials, reduces contamination risk, and provides the highest level of confidence for PFAS‑sensitive analyses.

A More Controlled Approach to PFAS Testing
As PFAS regulations tighten and detection limits continue to drop, the margin for error will only shrink. Laboratories can no longer afford to treat contamination control as an afterthought.

Instead, it becomes a question of control ensuring that nothing introduced during sample preparation compromises the integrity of the result.

Because when you're measuring at the limits of detection, even the smallest variable can make the biggest difference.

Move Toward PFAS-Controlled Sample Preparation
From ultrapure water to validated consumables, controlling contamination at the source ensures confidence in every result.

Explore how the Arium® Pro VF and Sartorius' lab essentials support PFAS testing workflows with consistently low background interference.

Minimize contamination. Maximize confidence.