Concentrations, distribution, and persistence of fluorotelomer alcohols in sludge-applied soils near Decatur, Alabama, USA.

Soil samples were collected for fluorotelomer alcohol (FTOH) analyses from six fields to which sludge had been applied and one "background" field that had not received sludge. Ten analytes in soil extracts were quantified using GC/MS. Sludge-applied fields had surface soil FTOH concentrations exceeding levels found in the background field.

Analysis of fluorotelomer alcohols in soils: optimization of extraction and chromatography.

This article describes the development of an analytical method for the determination of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) in soil. The sensitive and selective determination of the telomer alcohols was performed by extraction with methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and analysis of the extract using gas chromatography with detection and quantification by mass spectrometry operated in the positive chemical ionization mode. The protonated molecular ion, [M+H](+) and a fragment ion (loss of HF+H(2)O) m/z 38 less than the molecular ion were monitored to identify tentatively FTOHs in MTBE extracts of contaminated soils.