Are cosmetics a significant source of PFAS in Europe? product inventories, chemical characterization and emission estimates

Pütz, Kerstin Winkens; Namazkar, Shahla; Plassmann, Merle; Benskin, Jonathan P.

doi:10.1039/d2em00123c

Cited by 27 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…The source of the remaining unidentified organofluorine is unclear, but may include additional pharmaceuticals, pesticides and TPs not captured by our workflow. Neutral PFAS, such as perfluoroalkyl sulfonamides, fluorotelomer alcohols, silicones, and olefins, are known to occur in consumer products and may also contribute. , Gas chromatography could be applied in future studies to capture neutral/more hydrophobic fluorinated substances. Finally, we cannot rule out contributions from fluorinated polymers, some of which have been shown to occur at elevated concentrations in sludge .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pharmaceuticals Account for a Significant Proportion of the Extractable Organic Fluorine in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge

Spaan

Seilitz

Plassmann

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett.

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Fluorine mass balance studies have shown that monomeric per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with perfluoroalkyl chain lengths of ∼5–14 carbon atoms (i.e., “conventional” PFAS) account for a fraction (∼2%) of the extractable organic fluorine (EOF) in municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge. The identity of the remaining EOF has thus far been unclear but may be partly attributable to fluorine-containing pharmaceuticals and pesticides used throughout society. To test this hypothesis, we applied high resolution mass spectrometry-based suspect screening to samples of municipal WWTP sludge which had been previously subjected to a fluorine mass balance. Sixteen pharmaceutical substances (including transformation products [TPs]), one pesticide, and thirteen conventional PFAS were confirmed at confidence levels 1–4 and (semi)quantified, revealing concentrations ranging from 0.07 to 155 ng/g dw. Notably, eight pharmaceutical substances did not meet the OECD definition of PFAS. When converted to fluorine equivalents, the newly detected organofluorine substances increased the percentage of known EOF from ∼2% to ∼27%, of which ∼22% was attributed to pharmaceutical and pesticide substances, with the greatest contributions from ticagrelor TP (4.0%), ezetimibe (3.9%), and bicalutamide (3.5%). These data highlight the importance of considering both unconventional and non-PFAS organofluorine substances in addition to conventional PFAS when closing the organofluorine mass balance in WWTP sludge.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pharmaceuticals Account for a Significant Proportion of the Extractable Organic Fluorine in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge

Spaan

Seilitz

Plassmann

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett.

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“…• Cosmetics such as sun protection and skin and hair care products often contain PFAS to make them water-repellent. Besides PTFE fluoroalcohol (C9-C15)-phosphates play a significant role [22,23]. • PFAS may be found in numerous building products such as floor coverings, cables, coated woods, solar panels and glasses [24].…”

Section: Technical Characteristics and Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

PFAS: forever chemicals—persistent, bioaccumulative and mobile. Reviewing the status and the need for their phase out and remediation of contaminated sites

Brunn

Arnold²,

Körner

et al. 2023

Environ Sci Eur

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Background Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have received increasing scientific and political attention in recent years. Several thousand commercially produced compounds are used in numerous products and technical processes. Due to their extreme persistence in the environment, humans and all other life forms are, therefore, increasingly exposed to these substances. In the following review, PFAS will be examined comprehensively. Results The best studied PFAS are carboxylic and sulfonic acids with chain lengths of C4 to C14, particularly perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). These substances are harmful to aquatic fauna, insects, and amphibians at concentrations of a few µg/L or less, accumulate in organisms, and biomagnify in food webs. Humans, as the final link in numerous food chains, are subjected to PFAS uptake primarily through food and drinking water. Several PFAS have multiple toxic effects, particularly affecting liver, kidney, thyroid, and the immune system. The latter effect is the basis for the establishment of a tolerable weekly dose of only 4.4 ng/kg body weight for the sum of the four representatives PFOA, PFOS, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2020. Exposure estimates and human biomonitoring show that this value is frequently reached, and in many cases exceeded. PFAS are a major challenge for analysis, especially of products and waste: single-substance analyses capture only a fragment of the large, diverse family of PFAS. As a consequence, sum parameters have gained increasing importance. The high mobility of per and polyfluorinated carboxylic and sulfonic acids makes soil and groundwater pollution at contaminated sites a problem. In general, short-chain PFAS are more mobile than long-chain ones. Processes for soil and groundwater purification and drinking water treatment are often ineffective and expensive. Recycling of PFAS-containing products such as paper and food packaging leads to carryover of the contaminants. Incineration requires high temperatures to completely destroy PFAS. After PFOA, PFOS and a few other perfluorinated carboxylic and sulfonic acids were regulated internationally, many manufacturers and users switched to other PFAS: short-chain representatives, per- and polyfluorinated oxo carboxylic acids, telomeric alcohols and acids. Analytical studies show an increase in environmental concentrations of these chemicals. Ultra-short PFAS (chain length C1–C3) have not been well studied. Among others, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is present globally in rapidly increasing concentrations. Conclusions The substitution of individual PFAS recognized as hazardous by other possibly equally hazardous PFAS with virtually unknown chronic toxicity can, therefore, not be a solution. The only answer is a switch to fluorine-free alternatives for all applications in which PFAS are not essential.

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“…Electrochemical fluorination (ECF)-based neutral PFAS were measured in ambient air near landfills in prior studies, − but were less than LOD in the LFG samples in the present study (Table ). A larger-scale study is required to better understand if the lack of ECF-based PFAS is due to landfill age/cell closure, given that the production of ECF-based neutral PFAS ceased in the early 2000s ,,, and/or due to the proximity of landfill to ECF industries. , Sources of FTOHs may include degradation of FT-based fluoropolymers, ,,− side-chain fluorinated polymers, ,,− or from residual FTOHs in consumer products, ,,− as well as in side-chain fluorinated polymers; , meanwhile, FTAcs are known precursors to FTOHs. , To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of 12:2 FTO associated with landfills. The 12:2 FTO was previously measured in ambient air, not associated with landfills. − Five other target PFAS were detected at less than LOQ, but greater than LOD, including 6:2 FTI (Table ), which was previously measured in ambient air surrounding a landfill …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neutral Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in In Situ Landfill Gas by Thermal Desorption–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Titaley

Cruz

Barlaz

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett.

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Landfills receive over half of the municipal solid waste generated in the U.S. Wastes in landfills include consumer products, some of which are known to contain of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Although the occurrence of nonvolatile (ionic) PFAS in landfill leachate is established and volatile (neutral) PFAS are found in ambient air near landfills, the neutral PFAS composition of landfill gas (LFG) collected in situ from landfills is unknown. A thermal desorption−gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) sampling and analysis approach was optimized for the quantification of 25 target neutral PFAS, including fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and five other PFAS classes, in landfill from a gas well or header pipe. Optimized LFG sampling parameters included the use of an explosion-proof pump, a 100 mL/min flow rate through a sorbent tube, and a LFG volume of 350 mL. The method was applied to LFG samples collected from southeastern U.S. landfills for method demonstration. Fluorotelomer alcohols were found at the highest levels, ranging from 830,000−4,900,000 pg/m 3 , which is approximately 2 orders of magnitude greater than FTOH levels reported in ambient air collected near landfills.

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Are cosmetics a significant source of PFAS in Europe? product inventories, chemical characterization and emission estimates

Abstract: In this study, emission of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the use of cosmetics in the European Economic Area (EEA; not including Lichtenstein and Iceland) was estimated for the...

Cited by 27 publications

References 27 publications

Pharmaceuticals Account for a Significant Proportion of the Extractable Organic Fluorine in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge

Pharmaceuticals Account for a Significant Proportion of the Extractable Organic Fluorine in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge

PFAS: forever chemicals—persistent, bioaccumulative and mobile. Reviewing the status and the need for their phase out and remediation of contaminated sites

Neutral Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in In Situ Landfill Gas by Thermal Desorption–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

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