Applications of 19F NMR Spectroscopy in Detection and Degradation Monitoring of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

Abstract Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widely used in industrial and consumer products due to their exceptional chemical stability, hydrophobicity and oleophobicity. However, as public research on PFASs deepens, their biotoxicity and environmental persistence have raised serious concerns about impacts on ecosystems and human health. Toward this end, the detection and degradation of PFASs have attracted significant scientific and regulatory attention. Among existing analytical techniques, 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy possesses unique capability to perform non-targeted analysis of fluorinated compounds without complex sample pre-treatment and unravel the existing states of these compounds. Despite its importance, to the best of our knowledge, the progress in this field has not been summarized yet. This tutorial describes the recent advances in 19F NMR spectroscopy for PFAS research, showcasing its irreplaceable value in detection and degradation monitoring of PFASs. Additionally, several emerging sensitivity enhancement techniques are introduced, which will mitigate the sensitivity limitation of 19F NMR spectroscopy in future.