TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Combatting “forever chemicals” known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, is crucial because they are persistent environmental pollutants that pose significant health and ecological risks. These chemicals are often found in water, and two University of Alabama researchers are developing a new way to quickly detect them.
Through the Alabama Water Institute’s Interdisciplinary Innovations Program, Dr. Daqian Jiang, assistant professor in UA’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, and Dr. Qiaoli Liang, mass spectrometry facility manager in UA’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, have received $25,000 in support of their proposal, “Validate Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) for Rapid Detection of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS).”
Their hypothesis is based on their recent work with collaborators where MALDI-MS demonstrated the ability to quantify perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, one of the most widely discussed PFAS compounds, in water samples at a high sensitivity.
If successful, MALDI-MS is expected to reduce the time and cost of PFAS detection tremendously. This will yield remarkable cost and time savings for various governments and agencies, in addition to vaulting UA’s reputation in PFAS research at the national level.
“AWI support is critical for us to test what we believe is a promising idea,” said Jiang. “This project will contribute to AWI’s leadership in protecting Alabama’s water resources.”
This project combines state-of-the-art techniques from two fields, environmental engineering and analytical chemistry. The project team has a successful record of collaboration since 2021 that generated two research grants awarded and supported by the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense.
For more information about how to apply for AWI support programs and for deadlines, contact Stefanie O’Neill at soneill2@ua.edu.
Brock Parker, Multimedia Specialist and Writer, Alabama Water Institute, brockparker@ua.edu