The method is simple in its assumptions and works remarkably well under controlled laboratory conditions; however, the problem with commercial application lies in the details.

While the influence of temperature and pH on NMR chemical shifts is described well enough in the literature to allow for its compensation during calibration, I am facing a substantive issue regarding the effect of surface-active agents on the properties of the absorbent (for example, detergents in wastewater).

Another very important aspect is the verification procedure. When verifying the prototype, I need to ensure that the composition of the medium is close to natural conditions while simultaneously maintaining a consistent composition of the applied medium over time.

Dear Andrzej,

Recently I was approached by a colleague of mine with the question whether NMR is capable of determining long-chain polymeric insoluble PFAS-Type molecules like Teflon (potentially) present in waste coming from break-down of buildings.

I'd conceive that in this field (insoluble PFAS) there actually is a "analytical gap" at the moment only (again potentially) covered by solid-state NMR (to my understanding).

But admittedly I do not know whether long chain PFAS do provide a environmental harm at al (any opinion here in this group?).

For the short-chain soluble PFAS I personally think that the low-sensitivity of NMR (and I am working on cryo-probes) will never (at least not with inductively detected NMR!) be able to really compete with mass-spec ....

Best wishes

Alfred