Comprehensive screening of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in textiles: Utilizing combustion ion chromatography for total organic fluorine (TOF) analysis

Comprehensive Screening of PFAS in Textiles via Combustion Ion Chromatography

Significance of the topic

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in textiles to impart water, oil and stain resistance, but their persistence and potential for human and environmental exposure have raised health and regulatory concerns. New regulations such as California Assembly Bill 1817 and pending EU bans set strict limits on total organic fluorine (TOF) in fabrics, creating a need for reliable, comprehensive screening methods.

Objectives and Overview of the study

Develop and validate a robust analytical workflow to quantify TOF in textile materials using combustion ion chromatography (CIC), thereby enabling detection of both known and unknown PFAS in compliance with emerging regulatory thresholds.

Methodology

Samples of waterproof or stain-resistant textiles (polyester, polyurethane laminate, nylon, canvas) were cryogenically ground for homogeneity. Total inorganic fluorine (TIF) was determined by aqueous extraction (1 g sample, sonication, centrifugation, filtration) and direct injection into an ion chromatography system. Total fluorine (TF) and TOF were measured by CIC: solid samples (≈50 mg) were combusted in a high-temperature furnace (1,100 °C) under Ar/O₂ flow, combustion products absorbed in water and then analyzed by IC. TOF was calculated as TF minus TIF.

Used Instrumentation

• Thermo Scientific Dionex Integrion HPIC System with eluent generator, pump, degasser, conductivity detector and temperature control
• Nittoseiko AQF-2100H Combustion Unit with automatic sample changer, horizontal furnace and gas absorption unit
• Dionex IonPac AG24 guard column and AS24 analytical column for anion separation
• Dionex EGC 500 KOH cartridge, CR-ATC 600 trap column and ADRS 600 suppressor

Key results and discussion

• Eluent optimization with KOH gradient enabled clear separation of fluoride from chloride, bromide, sulfate and water dip, improving signal-to-noise.
• Calibration over 1–200 mg/L fluoride yielded R² > 0.999; recoveries of 97–110%; relative standard error < 5%.
• Limits of detection: TF 0.37 µg/g, TIF 37 ng/g, sufficient to detect regulatory thresholds (50–100 ppm).
• Recovery studies using perfluorooctanesulfonamide spikes showed TF accuracy of 85–105% and TIF accuracy of 95–115%, with precision < 5% RSD.
• Analysis of six textile samples revealed TF levels from 4.6 to 334 ppm; five samples exceeded the 100 ppm TOF limit even after subtracting TIF (< 1 ppm).

Benefits and practical applications

Combustion ion chromatography provides a non-targeted, cost-effective measure of total organic fluorine, capturing both known and unknown PFAS in textiles. The method supports regulatory compliance, quality control in textile manufacturing and environmental monitoring.

Future trends and potential applications

• Integration of CIC with higher throughput automation for large-scale textile screening.
• Extension of TOF analysis to other consumer products (e.g., paper, cosmetics) to support comprehensive PFAS surveillance.
• Development of smaller-footprint, field-deployable combustion IC systems for onsite compliance testing.
• Coupling TOF results with advanced data analytics to profile PFAS sources and inform safer material design.

Conclusion

The developed CIC method delivers sensitive (LOD 0.37 µg/g), accurate (85–115% recovery) and precise (< 5% RSD) quantification of TOF in textiles. It meets emerging regulatory requirements and offers a robust tool for manufacturers and regulators to assess PFAS content and ensure product safety.

References

1. Schellenberger S, Liagkouridis I, Awad R, et al. An outdoor aging study to investigate the release of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from functional textiles. Environ Sci Technol. 2022;56(6):3471–3479.
2. Department of Toxic Substances Control. Treated Textiles and Leathers as PFAS Exposure Sources. DTSC; 2024.
3. California Assembly Bill No. 1817. Product Safety: Textile Articles: Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. 2021–2022 Session.
4. Danish Ministry of Environment and Food. PFAS Action Plan. 2024.
5. Skedung L, Savvidou E, Schellenberger S, et al. Identification and quantification of fluorinated polymers in consumer products by CIC and pyrolysis-GC–MS. Environ Sci Process Impacts. 2024;26(1):82–93.
6. Xia C, Diamond ML, Peaslee GF, et al. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in North American school uniforms. Environ Sci Technol. 2022;56(19):13845–13857.
7. U.S. EPA. Method 1621: Determination of Adsorbable Organic Fluorine in Aqueous Matrices by CIC. EPA 821-R-24-002; 2024.