PER- AND POLYFLUORINATED ALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS) EXTRACTED FROM TEXTILE SAMPLES

For many applications, easy-to-clean textiles are desired (upholstery, table-cloths, car seats), or the textiles must be waterproof but breathable (tents, ski clothes, rain jackets, shoes). PFAS repel both water and oil, and are therefore ideal chemicals for surface treatment of such textiles. Furthermore, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)based membranes are often used in rain coats due to their water resistance and ability to breathe. However, these membranes are not strong enough to be employed as outer layers of outdoor clothes. They are attached on the inside to a robust textile, which is often additionally surface treated with fluorinated polymers or co-polymers. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) are such fluorochemicals that are used in the production of polymers. The alcohol group is bound to the polymer backbone and the fluorinated carbon chain sticks away from the treated material to yield the desired water and stain proofing. During the production, use or destruction of the textile, FTOHs could be cleaved off the polymer and evaporate to air, due to their high vapour pressure. Alternatively, free FTOHs might remain in the coating as non-bound residuals from the production process of the polymers and eventually leak out to the environment. 1 Indeed, FTOHs have been found in air samples. 2,3 Perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs) are used in the production of PTFE. Residuals of PFCAs might remain in PTFE membranes and enter the environment through waste water after washing of the textile. Furthermore, it has been hypothesised, that PFCAs are degradation products of FTOHs. 4 PFCAs have been detected in water samples from landfill effluents, sewage treatment plants, lakes and the sea. 5 The aim of this study was to identify PFAS used in the production of different types of textiles from the Swedish and Norwegian market. The selection of test materials should cover most of the commonly used brands in Scandinavia, focusing on outdoor clothing and rain jackets. A rough estimation of the amount of freely extractable fluorochemicals was also attempted. So far, literature data on this subject is very scarce and mainly comprises determination of residual FTOHs from polymeric and surfactant materials 1 or extractable perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) from textile and carpet samples. 6