Trace Analysis of Environmental Risk Substances Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Tandem mass spectrometry is an essential data acquisition mode for the analysis of environmental risk substances. This paper describes tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) of linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS) and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). In MS/MS using negative-ion electrospray ionization, analyses of LAS is designed to use a product ion of m/z 183. Based on consideration of the fragmentation and records from public mass spectra repositories, the product ion was thought to be produced by a two-step reaction. In the analysis of PFAS, characteristic fragmentation different from hydrocarbons and surfactants that could interfere with PFAS were discussed. Analytical results on the environmental risk substances are of social interest, and it is important to have a good understanding of what is taking place in mass spectrometry during quantitative trace analyses.