Perfluorinated compounds at trace levels (low ng/kg)

The EFSA performed a risk assessment for the sum or four PFASs: PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFOS in 2020. A TWI of 4.4 ng/kg bw per week was established. 

According to Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/1431, the member states should test for the presence of four PFAS in food:

• Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS),
• Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA),
• Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and
• Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS).

The four PFAS mentioned before are within the scope of P2409-RT. In addition, a selection of up to four further perfluorocarboxylicacids (PFBA to PFDoDA) will be spiked to the test material. 

The results are assessed with respect to

• the quantification with respect to the comparability (z-score)
• the quantification with respect to the trueness (70 to 120 % recovery of the spiked level, as far as reasonable).

LOQs of 2 ng/kg are required for each compound.