Total oxidizable precursor assay in the determination of perfluoroalkyl acids in textiles collected from the United States
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are used in specialty/functional textiles to impart oil, water, and stain repellency. Little is known, however, with regard to the occurrence of PFASs in textiles including infant clothing. In this study, 13 perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), comprising four perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs; C4-C10) and nine perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs; C4-C12) were determined in 160 textile samples collected from the United States. Two extraction methods, one involving a simple solvent extraction (i.e., before oxidation) and the other with an oxidative treatment (i.e., after oxidation) of textile extracts, were used. The sum concentrations of 13 PFAAs (i.e., ∑PFAA) in textile extracts before oxidation ranged from <LOD to 63.7 μg/m 2 (<LOD-285 ng/g), with a mean value of 3.18 μg/m 2 (14.2 ng/g). ∑PFAA concentrations were the highest in flame retarded textiles (n = 23; mean: 13.3 μg/m 2; 59.4 ng/g), followed by water repellent textiles (n = 56; 2.88 μg/m 2; 12.9 ng/g) and infant clothes (n = 81; 0.521 μg/m 2; 2.33 ng/g). C4-C10 PFCAs accounted for at least three-quarters of the ∑PFAA content in our textile samples. Textile extracts analyzed after oxidative treatment exhibited ∑PFAA concentrations 10-fold higher than those in extracts analyzed prior to oxidation, which suggested that PFAA precursors are used in textiles. Precursors that generated C4-C5 PFCAs, upon oxidation, were more prevalent than those that yielded PFOA. The calculated dermal exposure doses in infants of PFAAs present in clothes were at least 1-2 orders of magnitude below the reference doses proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This is the first time that the oxidative treatment was applied in the analysis of PFASs in textiles, and our results suggest the existence of PFCA precursors in textiles.
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Studies using the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay found a notable increase in PFCAs following oxidation.
“Studies that have used the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay found a notable increase in PFCAs following oxidation.”
From Underestimated burden of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in global surface waters and groundwaters (2024) · cites this paper as [26]
Traditional EPA-based methods do not adequately capture PFAS embodied in consumer products and their potential environmental burden.
“This suggests that traditional EPA-based methods do not adequately capture PFAS embodied in consumer products and their potential environmental burden [24][25][26][27] .”
From Underestimated burden of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in global surface waters and groundwaters (2024) · cites this paper as [26]
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- Authors
- Zhu, H., & Kannan, K.
- Affiliations
- New York University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Kannan, Kurunthachalam
- Venue
- Environmental Pollution
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-10
- Volume
- 265
- Issue
- Pt B
- Pages
- 114940
- ISSN
- 0269-7491 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3033620341
- Cited by
- 71
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 3.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Environmental Pollution (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Fluorine in Organic Chemistry
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Keywords
- perfluoroalkyl acids, PFAS precursors, textiles, oxidation treatment, perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorocarboxylic acids, dermal exposure, infants, clothing, PFAS contamination
- MeSH terms
- Carboxylic Acids, Environmental Monitoring, Fluorocarbons, Humans, Infant, Sulfonic Acids, Textiles, United States, Water Pollutants, Chemical
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