National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) has developed a method for simultaneous analysis of PFAS in soil and published the provisional manual (in English and Japanese) on its website. This manual will enable the efficient and stable analysis of a variety of PFAS in soil, which has been difficult until now. We anticipate that many experimental researchers use the manual and give us comments to improve the contents of the manual, reliability and versatility of the analysis method. We also expect that a large amount of data will be accumulated by using the manual, which will lead to a clarification of the actual state of PFAS distribution in soil all around the world.
Overview
Among the wide variety of organic fluorine compounds, the effects of PFAS (a generic term for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds) are of concern. Food Safety Commission of Japan has assessed the tolerable daily intake of two types of PFAS, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (20 nanograms per day per 1 kg body weight for each). But the actual status of PFAS in the agricultural environment has not yet been elucidated. To establish a method for measuring PFAS concentrations in agricultural environments, NARO, in collaboration with consortium members (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Research Institute of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Osaka Prefecture), has developed a method for extracting and detecting various types of PFAS in agricultural soil and compiled it into a provisional manual, and published it on the NARO website. (https://www.naro.go.jp/publicity_report/publication/pamphlet/tech-pamph/163758.html).
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Special features of this manual are:
- Simultaneous analysis of multiple PFAS including representative PFAS such as PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS is possible
The system can simultaneously analyze soil concentrations of 30 selected PFAS species included in overseas assessments of drinking water and environmental water. - Simplified process for multiple sample analysis
To reduce analysis time and resources, insoluble matter was removed by centrifugation, and the solution was transferred by decantation. - Easy-to-understand visual explanation of analysis procedures
The process from sample preparation to content measurement, including soil sample collection and pretreatment, is explained in an easy-to-understand manner with illustrations. - Immediate analysis possible by specifying condition settings
The analytical parameters that are compatible with the models used are included in the manual with the cooperation of liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) manufacturers.
Although the development of a method to simultaneously analyze multiple types of PFAS in agricultural environments has just begun, but by publishing it as a "provisional manual", it is anticipated to be used by many analysts as an analysis method for PFAS in soil. We will accumulate the feedback and data from those analysts and will improve the manual to be more reliable and versatile that can be used for more types of soil in the future. It is expected that its widespread use will lead to a clarification of the actual status of PFAS in agricultural environments.
Related Information
Budget: This work was supported by the project "FY2022 Comprehensive Regulatory Science Research Promotion Project for Stable Supply of Safe Agricultural, Livestock and Fishery Products (Basic research on transfer (accumulation dynamics) of PFAS such as PFOA and PFOS from agricultural environment (water, soil, etc.) to agricultural products)" (JPJ008617. 22682068), funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
