Determination of 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol in animal plasma and tissues by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) constitute an important group of compounds among the perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The PFAS have recently been a focus of many environmental and biological studies. This generated a strong need for analytical methods for analysis of PFAS at trace levels in various environmental and biological matrices. A quantitative analytical method for analysis of 8:2 FTOH in rat plasma and rat liver, kidney, and adipose tissue using GC–MS with electron impact (EI) ionization was developed and validated. Extraction of water-diluted plasma with methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) was used for rat plasma. The analysis of rat liver or kidney tissues required homogenization of tissue on ice, extraction with hexane, and clean up of the extract by silica (Si) normal-phase solid phase extraction (SPE). Similarly, the adipose tissue was dissolved in n-heptane and cleaned up by Si SPE. The methods were validated by performing spike recovery experiments for each type of matrix investigated and tested on authentic samples originating from 8:2 FTOH toxicological studies.