Adsorption of PFAS onto the surface of storage containers is a well-documented issue. During development of our PFAS standards, we observed similar adsorption issues. The extent of adsorption is likely dependent on a few factors:
- Polarity of the solvent with higher aqueous content resulting in more adsorption
- Type of end group (i.e., carboxylic acids adsorb differently than sulfonates)
- Chain-length of analyte with longer chain analytes adsorbing more strongly
- Material of container
- Surface area of the container
Adsorption onto a glass or polypropylene vial at higher concentrations (>1 ppm) are negligible in comparison to the concentration of the standard. As analyte concentrations decrease and solvent polarity increases (for example, during field sampling or analysis), adsorption effects become more pronounced; therefore, the use of polypropylene vials is recommended (vial cat.# 23243, cap cat.# 23244).
For more information, we recommend reviewing our PFAS Feasibility: Determination of Glass Deactivation and Stabilizer Concentration poster.
