Investigating the Presence of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Window Installation Materials

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a broad group of man-made fluorinated chemicals that have been widely used in industrial applications as well as ingredients for the manufacture of consumer products. Due to their harmful effects on both the environment and human health, certain PFAS such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) have been restricted, yet there are still thousands of PFAS in use, which are difficult to identify and quantify. This work employs evolved gas analysis-mass spectrometry (EGA-MS) and thermal desorption-pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-Pyr-GC-MS) to investigate the presence of PFAS in window installation materials. EGA-MS was first used for temperature profiling and tentative identification of notable ionic signatures related to PFAS. Samples showed PFAS significant ions and suspicion of the presence of PFAS. Multi-step temperature programs for TD-Pyr-GC-MS were developed from EGA-MS results. TD-Pyr-GC-MS was applied, successfully detecting perfluorooctanoic acid and octafluoro-2-butene in fiberglass, as well as an isomer of C₃F₆ in window screens. Phthalates, a known environmental and health hazards, was also confirmed in window screen samples.