FM4, Air Sampler for PFAS, Non-returnable, Non-refundable

Technical Guide

An air sampler called FM4 for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was developed for analyzing PFAS in air. PFAS analysis using FM4 is a groundbreaking approach, which enabled the simultaneous collection and analysis of particulate and gaseous PFAS in air.

In conventional collection methods based on filtration, accurate measurement is often difficult because gaseous PFAS may be adsorbed on particles collected on the filter surface. A gaseous PFAS may change to its non-volatile form during sampling. To solve these limitations, the FM4 was designed with an impactor that minimizes the contact between particles and gas and three types of adsorbents, which enable simultaneous collection of ionic and neutral/volatile PFAS.

The collected PFAS is eluted with organic solvents and quantified by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Conventional activated carbons typically contain complicated pores. They have been used as adsorbents for PFAS; however, the complete elution of adsorbed PFAS is difficult to achieve. Therefore, we developed a new functional activated carbon adsorbent (GAIAC), which was used as the gas-type adsorbent. GAIAC is an innovative sorbent that is composed of synthetic resin fiber with optimized pore and surface activity, which enable the collection and elution of PFAS.

Comprehensive Sampling Despite its compact size, the FM4 Air Sampler can simultaneously collect both particulate and gaseous substances. It allows the amount of each substance collected to be separately determined, making it possible to comprehensively evaluate the sampled air.

Capable of Collecting Gaseous PFAS such as FTOHs  Up to now, it has been difficult to collect gaseous PFAS in the air. However, thanks to the FM4 Air Sampler’s newly developed activated-carbon desorption material, this is no longer a problem.

Excellent Recovery Rate  We have tested the FM4 Air Sampler with a wide range of PFAS and have achieved excellent recovery rates for all of them.

Portable and Easy to Deploy  Because the FM4 Air Sampler is lightweight and compact, it is easy to carry and, with its very small installation footprint, easy to deploy.