Automated PFAS sample prep that cuts human error and handles every matrix

CTC Analytics' mission in PFAS analysis is to help laboratories achieve more reliable, reproducible, and efficient analysis by automating some of the key steps in the sample preparation and analysis workflow.

PFAS analysis is technically very demanding. It requires very careful handling to avoid contamination, variability, and sample loss during the process. The targeted compounds are often present at very low levels, and with the PAL system, we aim to help laboratories achieve more streamlined and automated workflow from sample preparation all the way to the LC-MS and GC-MS analysis.

For us, automation is not only about saving manual time, it’s also about improved data quality and making high-quality analysis more accessible and scalable.

One of the key challenges in PFAS analysis is the large variety of sample matrices. PFAS need to be analyzed in different sample types such as water, soil, food, packaged material, consumer products, biological samples, and so on. That means there’s no single method that fits to all the different applications and the different metrics can introduce different interferences which require different sample preparation techniques.

This is where the PAL System brings very strong value because the PAL system is an open and highly flexible system that can be equipped with a variety of different tools and modules to enable different sample prep techniques such as vortex, centrifugation, incubation, filtration, extraction and microextraction, with everything automated using the single hardware platform.

Another big advantage of the PAL System is the option to connect the PAL System directly online into the analytical LC-MS and GC-MS instruments. In the prep ahead mode, the samples can be prepared while the last sample is being analyzed so the PAL handles the whole workflow from sample preparation to online introduction of the samples directly into the analytical instruments. This way, the PAL helps laboratories create producible transferable workflows to provide PFAS data with high confidence.

I think there are different key aspects in terms of the benefits of automation. First, it improves reproducibility. So the same sample prep steps are conducted every time in the same way, independent of the operator. That is especially important for PFAS analysis because differences in sample handling can lead already to large variety in the final results.

Second, it reduces the risk of contamination. With fewer manual interventions involved in the whole process, there is lower risk for the samples to be exposed to external influences. Third, automation helps improve lab efficiency. The scientists or operators will spend less time on repetitive manual work and have more time to focus on more creative work and also on method development data interpretation and innovative ideas.

As mentioned, the PAL System can combine automated sample preparation with direct online injection and provides a streamlined and smooth workflow from sample to results. In terms of the impact of the automation to PFAS analysis, I think in the short term, automation will help laboratories address the growing demand in PFAS testing. The laboratories will need not only methods that are reliable, but also scalable and sustainable. Further down the line, I think automation will become a part of the standard PFAS analysis. It can enhance method harmonization, reduce the operator dependent variability, and make it easier for laboratories to transfer methods across sites and labs.

Ultimately, our goal is to help laboratories move from manual fragmented sample workflow towards an integrated automated workflow that deliver high-quality data with high efficiency.