EPA Method 537.1: PFAS in Drinking Water
SPE cartridges, certified PFAS reference standards, LC-MS/MS consumables, and PFAS-free labware — everything your lab needs for compliant Method 537.1 analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
What is EPA Method 537.1?
EPA Method 537.1 is a solid phase extraction (SPE) liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method for the determination of selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. Published by the U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development (Version 2.0, March 2020), it is one of the primary compliance methods referenced by UCMR 5 and the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation.
The method uses polystyrenedivinylbenzene (SDVB) SPE cartridges to extract PFAS from a 250-mL water sample. Compounds are eluted with methanol, concentrated under nitrogen, reconstituted, and injected into an LC equipped with a C18 column interfaced to a tandem mass spectrometer. Quantitation is performed using the internal standard technique.
Critical Compliance Note: Method 537.1 explicitly prohibits modifications to sample collection and preservation procedures (Section 8), sample extraction steps (Section 11.4), and quality control requirements (Section 9). All sample-contact materials must be verified PFAS-free to prevent contamination at the low-ppt detection levels required.
