How Well Do Product Labels Indicate the Presence of PFAS in Consumer Items Used by Children and Adolescents?
Kathryn M. Rodgers, Christopher H. Swartz, James Occhialini, Philip Bassignani, Michelle McCurdy, Laurel A. Schaider
Abstract
= 30) for perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) generated by precursor oxidation using the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay. Products advertised as water- and/or stain-resistant had more frequent detections and higher concentrations of total F than those without such claims, and targeted PFAS were detected only in products labeled as water- and/or stain-resistant. Concentrations of PFAAs generated by precursor oxidation using the TOP assay often exceeded pre-oxidation concentrations, suggesting that PFAA precursors contribute to solvent-extractable PFAS from products. Among products advertised as water- and/or stain-resistant, detection frequencies and concentrations of targeted PFAS were similar regardless of green assurances. This study illustrates many nonessential uses of PFAS in products used by children and adolescents and suggests that while water- and stain-resistant assurances can identify products likely to contain PFAS, current green assurances do not consistently indicate the absence of PFAS.