Selecting an LC/MS/MS for PFAS analysis of water

[LWC]

Hello all

I have been tasked with starting a PFAS monitoring program for water samples (source water to drinking water) in the <1ng/L to 20ng/L range. At this time we will primarily look at the EPA 533 list of compounds. I have been talking with several instrument companies on detection limits capabilities, price and site requirements. Of course every manufacturer says they are the best and the sale people assure me they can offer everything I need.

I currently work with Agilent GC/MS w MassHunter and I'm comfortable with the software. I've been told by others this would be an advantage going into LC.

What I'd like to hear about is scientists real world experiences with low level PFAS monitoring. Which instrument do you run? Pros/Cons? Why did you choose the instrument you use? How is the technical support after purchase?


Thank you

[gurlwithgcms]

I'm in the same boat as you... We are considering Agilent and Thermo. Hopefully someone on here can make some recommendations.

[bcd_GCLCMSMS]

We have been using a Shimadzu UHPLC with a Sciex 6500+ QTRAP (trap is off) to run routine EPA 533 on drinking water the past couple of years. Our MRL's are 1.5-2 ng/L (mostly limited by background, not limited by sensitivity) using the 200 mL sample size option.

Pros:
stable and reliable
holds tune very well

Cons:
high source gas requirements
less than intuitive software

The quality of your local service representatives is nearly as important as the instrument.

(This is not an endorsement or recommendation, just a statement of what we are using that works.)

[wss]

Agilent is a recommendation if you're able to standardise across GC-MS and LC-MS.

I've found their PFAS offerings pretty workable (we have an LOD for the major compounds of around 0.1 ng/L) after a lot of fine tuning, but then again I haven't really worked with anything else. We have had a lot of reliability issues recently but then again our equipment is now about halfway through its life cycle. When it works it works well, but would 100% recommend getting a decent service contract whoever you go with.

[LWC]

bcd_GCLCMSMS

I had a couple of questions on your CON list.

Are you using a generator for your system? Or which piece is causing the high requirements?

Is the software Shimadzu or SCIEX? I've heard of others using this split system also and some a Waters LC w a SCIEX MSD.

The quality of your local service representative is defiantly a really important factor. I'd would just hate to but an instrument w a good tech and them move on to a new career 6months in and we get stuck with a less experienced tech.

[LWC]

WSS.

Which Agilent model are you currently using? I'm curious what others consider a usable life cycle for these LC MS/MS systems.

We will defiantly be getting some sort of service agreement with whoever we go with.

[bcd_GCLCMSMS]

bcd_GCLCMSMS

I had a couple of questions on your CON list.

Are you using a generator for your system? Or which piece is causing the high requirements?

Is the software Shimadzu or SCIEX? I've heard of others using this split system also and some a Waters LC w a SCIEX MSD.

Software is 100% Sciex and LC hardware is the Shimadzu option from Sciex.

We were using liquid N2 dewars, but switched to gas generators a while back. While using liquid N2 we had to be sure the standby was programmed correctly to activate after a batch ended. Sciex also has a fairly sizeable "curtain" (aka cone gas by other manufacturers) flow even in default standby. We have other LC-MS in the laboratory and the Sciex definitely seems to go use the most N2.