Occurrence investigation of perfluorinated compounds in surface water from East Lake (Wuhan, China) upon rapid and selective magnetic solid-phase extraction

Using a novel magnetic nanocomposite as adsorbent, a convenient and effective magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) procedure was established for selective separation and concentration of nine perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in surface water sample. Then an ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) system was employed for detection of PFCs. Good linearity of the developed analytical method was in the range of 0.5–100 ng L(−1) with R(2) > 0.9917, and the limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.029 to 0.099 ng L(−1). At three fortified concentrations of 0.5, 5 and 50 ng L(−1), the spiked recoveries of PFCs were in the range of 90.05–106.67% with RSDs < 12.62% (n = 3). The proposed analytical method was applied for determination of PFCs in surface water from East Lake (Wuhan, China). The total concentrations of nine PFCs ranged from 30.12 to 125.35 ng L(−1), with perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluoroctanoic acid as the most prevalent PFCs, and the greatest concentrations of PFCs were observed in Niuchao lakelet. The concentrations of the PFCs (C ≥ 11) were mostly less than the limits of quantification (LOQs), attributed to the possibility that the more hydrophobic long-chain PFCs are potential to accumulate in sediment and aquatic biota.