Engineering integrated portable and microfluidic platforms for on-site PFAS monitoring

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used for their anti-adhesive, waterproofing, and surfactant properties, but their persistence, ubiquity, and toxicity raise major concerns for environmental and human health. Conventional PFAS analysis relies on chromatographic and mass spectrometry-based methods that, although highly sensitive, require centralized laboratories, expensive instrumentation, and time-consuming procedures. This has motivated the development of portable sensing platforms and microfluidic systems for on-site monitoring. This review examines recent engineering advances in portable and microfluidic technologies for PFAS detection in water, including optical and electrochemical sensing approaches and their integration into miniaturized analytical platforms. Particular attention is given to analytical performance, sensing principles, and suitability for environmental samples. Current systems show promise for rapid field screening and hotspot identification, but limitations in selectivity, sensitivity, matrix compatibility, and regulatory validation still restrict their practical deployment. Consequently, these technologies are best positioned as complementary tools to established laboratory-based analytical methods.