PFAS testing usually targets a set list of compounds, but thousands more are in use and can enter the environment. Non-targeted analysis aims to capture these overlooked chemistries, yet distinguishing them is difficult because many PFAS share near-identical masses and co-elute in complex food and environmental matrices.
This executive summary shows how ion mobility provides answers to that challenge. By adding a shape-based separation dimension to mass spectrometry, it distinguishes overlapping signals that routine panels cannot resolve. The guidance is presented by scientists with deep expertise in environmental PFAS testing, giving laboratories a practical view of how discovery methods complement regulatory panels.
Download this executive summary to learn:
- What a ski-slope study reveals about how PFAS move from snow to soil and water
- How ion mobility filtering removes background clutter to expose compounds missed by fixed target lists
- Where mobility clarifies complex spectra such as indoor dust extracts
- How labs can integrate non-targeted discovery with routine targeted testing in one workflow
Meet the Experts:
 | Frank Dorman Senior Business Development Manager, Waters; ; Resident Scholar, Dartmouth College Frank Dorman leads Waters’ global environmental business and teaches analytical chemistry at Dartmouth College. His career spans roles at Penn State and extensive work in chromatography, mass spectrometry, and trace analysis of complex samples. |
 | Karl J. Jobst Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland Karl Jobst is an expert in emerging contaminants and mass spectrometry, with a focus on PFAS and their environmental and health impacts. His career includes research positions with Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications. |
