# EPA/600/R-09/033

March 2009



# Perfluorocarboxylic Acid Content

in 116 Articles of Commerce

Zhishi Guo, Xiaoyu Liu, and Kenneth A. Krebs

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development

National Risk Management Research Labor atory, Research Tria ngle Park, NC 27711

and

Nancy F. Roache

ARCADIS, 4915 Prospectus Dr., Suite F, Durham, NC 27713

National Risk Management Research Laboratory

Office of Research and Development

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

# Notice

This report has been subjected to the Ag ency‘s peer and ad ministrative review

and has been approved for publication as an EPA document. Mention of trade names or

commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

ii

# Contents

Notice

............................................................................................................................... ... ii

Contents

............................................................................................................................. ii i

Abstract

.............................................................................................................................. iv

Acronyms and Abbreviations

............................................................................................. v

Acknowledgments

.............................................................................................................. vi

1. Introduction

..................................................................................................................... 1

2. Conclusions

..................................................................................................................... 3

3. Recommendations

........................................................................................................... 4

4. Materials and methods

.................................................................................................... 5

4.1 Sample collection

...................................................................................................... 5

4.2 Verifying the presence of fluorine

............................................................................ 5

4.3 Sample preparation, handling, and storage

............................................................... 6

4.4 Sample extraction and analysis

................................................................................. 6

4.5 Quality assurance and quality control

....................................................................... 8

5. Results

............................................................................................................................. 9

5.1 Statistics of AOC samples

........................................................................................ 9

5.2 Data quality of the analytical results

......................................................................... 9

5.3 Extractable PFCA content in AOC samples

........................................................... 10

5.4 Statistics by sample category

.................................................................................. 31

6. Discussion

..................................................................................................................... 38

6.1 Source strengths

...................................................................................................... 38

6.2 Comparison with literature values

.......................................................................... 40

6.3 Relative abundance of PFCAs

................................................................................ 40

6.4 Domestic versus imported articles

.......................................................................... 43

6.5 Market trends

.......................................................................................................... 43

7. References

..................................................................................................................... 45

Appendix

........................................................................................................................... 48

iii

# Abstract

Several recent studies have found elev ated levels of perfluorocarboxylic

acids (PFCAs) in house dust, suggesting st rongly the presence of indoor sources

of these compounds. The main goal of this study was to identify and rank

potentially important indoor sources by de termining the PFCA content in articles

of commerce (AOCs). We analyzed 116 AOC samples purchased from retail

outlets in the United States between March 2007 and May 2008 by using a newly

developed extraction/analytical method. For these 116 samples, the content of

perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA-C8) ra nged from non-detectable to 6750 ng/g,

whereas the content of total PFCAs (the sum of C5 to C12 acids) ranged from

non-detectable to 47100 ng/g. Given the qua ntities of articles found in typical

homes, it is clear that professional ca rpet-care liquids, pre-treated carpeting,

treated floor waxes and seal ants, and treated home textile products and upholstery

are likely the most important PFCA sources in non-o ccupational indoor

environments. The perfluorochemical-c ontaining AOC market has been in a

transition period. Limited data suggest th at the PFCA content in AOCs has shown

a downward trend overall. However, definitive confirmation of such a trend will

require long-term monitoring. More studies are needed to be tter understand PFCA

transport, exposure routes, and ways to reduce exposures in indoor environments.

iv

# Acronyms and Abbreviations

AOC articles of commerce

CAS# chemical abstract service registration number

HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography

IAP internal audit program

LC/MS/MS liquid chromatography / tandem mass spectrometry

PFC perfluorochemical

PFCA perfluorocarboxylic acid

PFOA perfluoroocanoic acid

PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene

RCS recovery check standard

RSD relative standard deviation

TPFCA total perfluorocarbonyl acids (the sum of C5 to C12 PFCAs)

WD wavelength dispersive

XRF X-ray fluorescence

v

# Acknowledgments

We thank Andrew Lindstrom, Mark Strynar, Shoji Nakayama, and Ed Heithmar

of the U.S. EPA and Timothy Begley of th e U.S. FDA for technical consultation and

assistance; Robert Wright of the U.S. EPA for QA support; Shirley Wasson (retired) and

Dean Smith of the U.S. EPA and David Nats chke of Arcadis for operating the X-ray

fluorescence spectrometer; and Ivan Dolgov of the U.S. EPA for laboratory support.

vi

# 1. Introduction

Although man-made perfluorochemicals ( PFCs) have been widely used for

several decades, their potent ial impacts on human health and the global environment did

not draw much attention until the turn of th e century when evidence of their widespread

presence in various environmental media, wildlife, and human tissue became clear [1-3]



# . Toxicological studies indi cate that perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and

perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – the two most extensivel y studied perfluorinated

compounds so far – can cause developmental and systemic toxicity in laboratory animals.

Reviews of the existing toxicological data can be found in referenc es 4-6. The potential

health risks associated with perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFC As) have promoted intensive

research on the sources, transport, transforma tion, and distribution of these chemicals and

their precursors in environmental media, as well as research related to ways to reduce the

health risks. Despite the significant progress th at has been made so far, researchers are

yet to reach a consensus on what are the mo st important routes by which the general

population is exposed to these chemicals. In particular, there are different opinions on

whether PFCA-containing AOCs are significant contributors to the total exposure. For

instance, a study conducted by Washburn, et al. in 2005 concluded that exposures to

PFOA during consumer use of the articles eval uated in their study were not expected to

cause adverse health effects in infants, ch ildren, adolescents, and adults, nor result in

quantifiable levels of PFOA in human serum [7] 

# . A more recent study by Fromme, et al.

used the data from indoor measurements in Canada and Norway and estimated that, for

the general population in West ern countries, the inhalation of house dust contributed only

0.6% of the mean PFOA daily intake and 8.2% of the high PFOA daily intake [8] 

# . By

contrast, Tittlemier, et al. identified treated carpeting as the second most important source

of exposure for PFOA after ingestion of food [9] 

# . A study by Trudel, et al. found that the

consumption of contaminated food is the mo st important pathway causing exposure to

PFOA, followed by ingestion of dust and inha lation of air in low- and intermediateexposure scenarios. Their st udy also found that direct, pr oduct-related exposure is

dominant in high-exposure scen arios, in which consumers regularly use PFC-containing

products, such as impregnation sprays, or have treated carpets in their homes [10] 

# . Trudel

and his co-workers also observed that product-related exposure tends to be more

important for PFOA than for PFOS, most likely because PFOS is no longer used in

consumer products. It is, therefore, appare nt that the paucity of indoor source and

exposure data contributes to the significant uncertainty and differences of opinion about

the most prevalent exposure routes for these compounds.

The fact that elevated levels of PFCAs ha ve been detected in house dust in Japan

[11] 

# , Canada [12] 

# , and the United States [13] 

# strongly suggests the pr esence of indoor sources.

It is well known that fluorotelomer and fluoropolymer products ar e sources of PFCAs

and that PFCAs may exist in fluorotelome r products as unwanted by-products and in

fluoropolymer products as residuals [14] 

# . Because a broad range of AOCs either contain or

are treated with fluorotelom er and fluoropolymer products [15,16] 

# , they can be potential

sources of PFCAs. Given that AOCs are often used in close proximity to humans, it is

1

# hypothesized that they can contribute to human exposure to PFCAs e ither directly (e.g.,

by dermal contact and hand-to-mouth transfer) or indirectly (e.g., inhalation of suspended

particles from treated carpet and other interior surfaces).

There have been several studies of the PFCA content in AOCs, but most of them

report a single compound – PFOA. In 2005, Washburn and his colleagues reported the

PFOA content in 14 article groups based on th eoretical calculations and analytical

measurements. Of these groups, pre-treated carpeting and carpeting treated with carpetcare solution had the highest PFOA loadings : 0.2 to 0.6 and 0.2 to 2 mg of PFOA per kg

of article, respectively [7] 

# . Studies by other researcher s reported PFOA content in nonstick cookware, food contact paper, thread sealant tape, and dental floss [17-20] 

# . Data for

other PFCAs in AOCs are rather scarce. One st udy by Sinclair, et al. reported the C5 to

C12 PFCA content in three brands of popcorn packaging paper [20]



# .

The main goal of this study was to identify the major PFCA sources in nonoccupational, indoor environments by determin ing the content of these chemicals in a

variety of AOCs and rank them in terms of source strengths. Policy-makers and

manufacturers can use the data for risk mana gement purposes. The re sults also provide a

snapshot of the current uses of PFCAs on the market and may serve as baseline data for

future, long-term monitoring.

2

# 2. Conclusions

We analyzed 116 AOC samples purchased fr om retail outlets in the United States

between March 2008 and May 2008 to determine the extractable cont ent of C5 to C12

PFCAs using a newly developed extraction/an alytical method. To the authors’ best

knowledge, this is the first time that the C5 to C12 PFCA contents in a wide variety of

AOCs are been reported. The PFCA contents in these samples cover a broad range, from

nondetectable to as high as 6750 ng/g for PFOA and from non-detectable to 47100 ng/g

for total PFCAs (i.e., the sum of C5 to C12) . In typical American homes with carpeted

floors, pre-treated carpet and commercial carpet-care liquids ar e likely the most

significant PFCA sources among the 13 articl e categories studied. For homes without

carpeting, floor waxes and stone/tile/wood seal ants that contain fluorotelomers products

are important sources of PFCAs. Other pot entially important indoor sources include

treated home textile, upholstery and apparel, and household carpet/fab ric care liquids and

foams. The data presented in this report may help explain why PFCAs are frequently

detected in house dust. While the exact mechanisms by which PFCAs are transferred

from sources to dust are not well characteri zed, existing data str ongly suggest that AOCs

may contribute to indoor human exposures to PFCAs either directly (dermal contact and

hand-to-mouth activities) or indi rectly (inhala tion of dust).

3

# 3. Recommendations

Further research is needed in the following areas to better understand the effect of

PFCA-containing AOCs on human exposure: (1) PFCA transfer from sources to indoor

air and surfaces; (2) the re lationship between AOCs and i nhalation exposu re; (3) the

significance of dermal exposur e; (4) risk management measures for reducing PFCA

levels in polluted homes; and (5) monitoring of the market transition on a global scale

over an extended period of time.

4

# 4. Materials and Methods

4.1 Sample Collection

AOC samples were purchased from retail outlets in the United States. Before

collecting samples, a survey was conducted to determine the availability of AOCs that

contained or were treated with fluorinated chemicals. Sample candidates were identified

based on one of the following claims by the ve ndors: (a) the article contains fluorinated

chemicals identifiable by th eir trade names (e.g., Scotchga rd, GoreTex, and Teflon); (b)

the article contains fluori nated chemicals identifiable by the chemical names (e.g.,

polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE); or (c) the article wa s identified as having certain

properties that are common for articles treated with fluorinated chemicals (e.g., stain

resistant, water repellent, and anti-grease). Sample candidates were purchased from local

stores in the Raleigh and Durh am areas of North Carolina, in Atlanta and New York City,

and from on-line stores. While it was not the goal of this study to obtain statistically

representative samples for the entire U.S. market, efforts were made to maximize the

representativeness of the samples by considering the following factors whenever

applicable: article category, trade name of the fluoropolymer or fluorotelomer product,

brand name of the article, price range (high, medium, and low), store type (chain stores,

high-end stores, low-end stor es, and specialty stores), and country of origin.

4.2 Verifying the Presence of Fluorine

Sample articles obtained from the market were first screened for the presence of

fluorine to exclude those with false claims and those that achieved certain surface

properties (e.g., anti-grease) without using fluorinated ch emicals. Sample articles

containing less than 0.01% fluorine by weight were discarded. Typically, 0.05 to 0.5% of

the fluorochemical by weight of the articl e is used to ensure durable repellency [15] 

# . For

articles made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTF E), such as thread sealant tape and some

dental floss, the fluorine content can be greater than 70%. Thus, the 0.01% cut-off

provided an adequate safe margin to ensure that all sample articles treated with

fluorinated chemicals were included for fu rther analysis. The fluorine content was

determined by wavelength dispersive (W D) X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.

Instrument and operating paramete rs are provided in Table 4-1.

5

# Table 4-1. Analytical instrument and ope rating parameters for screen-testing AOC

samples for the presence of fluorine by the XRF method a



# Panalytical PW2404 Wavelength Dispersive (WD) X-ray

Instrument Fluorescence (XRF) Spectrometer equipped with the

PW2540 Sample Changer

Software SuperQ (Panalytical) fo r instrument control

IQ+ (Panalytical) for cali bration and quantification

Power of X-ray tube 4000 watts

Measurement atmosphere Vacuum (<10 mb) or under helium atmosphere

A continuous scan mode followed by fluorine-specific data

Scan method collection at the peak fluorine wavelength for an additional

10 second measurement.

a 

# Liquid samples were tested on filters by we tting a 47-mm paper filter (Whatman) with

approximately 0.5 mL sample, and then air drying the filter under an aluminum foil cover.

4.3 Sample Preparation, Handling and Storage

Upon receipt, solid articles (e xcept cookware) were cut into smaller subsections

for storage or extraction. Each AOC was divide d into at least three subsections with a 60­

mm, tungsten carbide steel, rotary cutter a nd stainless steel scissors. These subsections

were used to cut specific -sized coupons (e.g., 4 ×4, 6×6, and 10×10 cm, depending on

sample weight per unit area) as needed for extractions. Subsections for extraction were

placed in a desiccator for a minimum of eight hours and then weighed prior to extraction.

Non-stick cookware remained in it s original package until extraction.

Liquid samples in bottles were s ubdivided into at least three 30-mL

polypropylene vials. For aerosol cans, the liquids were shaken and then collected in a 50­

mL beaker by gently pressing the release but ton. The liquids were then divided into

aliquots and stored in polypr opylene vials. Samples for extr action were stored in the

refrigerator until needed for analysis.

All archived samples were individually wr apped in three layers of aluminum foil,

placed in a sealed plastic bag, and st ored in a climate-controlled room.

4.4 Sample Extraction and Analysis

Coupons of solid samples (approximately 1 g) were weighed and placed in a 50­

mL, polyethylene, centrifuge vial with 45 mL of HPLC-grade metha nol spiked with 100

μL of recovery check standard {RCS, 2 ng/μL perfluoro- n -[1, 2- 13 

# C 2 

# ] decanoic acid} and

then extracted for 24 hours with a Nutating Mixer (Model VSN-5, PRO Scientific, Inc.,

CT, USA). The extract was transferred to a 170-mL borosilicate glass tube and

concentrated to approximately 1 mL under a nitrogen atmosphere by using a RapidVap

6

# N 2 

# Evaporation System (Model 791000, LabConc o, MO, USA), which was modified at

the factory to remove all Teflon parts and coatings. The blow-down sample was

transferred from the tube to a 10-mL volumetric flask through a 0.1 μ m Anotop syringe

filter (Whatman International, Madestone, Engla nd); the tube was rinsed five times with a

solution consisting of 60% (v/v) methanol and 40% (v/v) 2 mN ammonium acetate

aqueous solution (hereafter referred to as the 60:40 solution). Th e rinse liquids were

filtered and combined with the blow-down sa mple. After adding 100 μL of the internal

standard {0.5 ng/μL perfluoro- n -[1, 2, 3, 4- 13 

# C 4 

# ] octanoic acid}, the sample was brought

to10-mL with the 60:40 solution and soni cated for 10 minutes before LC/MS/MS

analysis.

A different extraction procedure was used for cookware, because the interior

coatings were difficult to remove from the metal base. Cookware was extracted by

covering the entire cooking surface with 100 to 150 mL of methanol spiked with 100 μL

of the recovery check standard to a depth of approximately 0.3 mm. To minimize solvent

evaporation during extraction, the opening of the cookware was tightly sealed with

aluminum foil by compressing the foil to the inside and outside walls of the cookware

edge to a depth of approximately 0.5 cm. Th e static extraction was conducted at room

temperature. After 24 hours, the extract was collected from the cookware and

concentrated to 1 mL by the procedure described above.

All solid AOC samples were extracted by a single-step, 24-h our extraction, and

the extraction efficiency, as determined by consecutive extractions, ranged from 70% to

100% except for non-stick cookware, which ha d an extraction efficiency of 46% for

PFOA. The analytical results were reported as “extractable PFCAs.”

For liquid samples, approximately 1 mL of sample were weighed, spiked with 100

μL of 2 ng/μL of the recovery check sta ndard, and diluted to 25 mL with the 60:40

solution. The diluted samples we re sonicated for 10 minutes and then filtered with a 50­

mL tube-top filter (Corning, Inc., NY, USA; 0.22-μm pore size). Ten milliliters (10 mL)

of the filtrate were transferred into a 10-mL volumetric flask and spiked with 100 μL of

the internal standard. The final solution wa s sonicated for 10 minutes before LC/MS/MS

analysis. For samples with high levels of PFCAs, a second dilution was needed before

adding the recovery check standard.

Sample quantification was conducted usi ng an Agilent 1100 HPLC equipped with

an Applied Biosystem API 3200 Triple Quad rupole Mass Spectrometer with a Turbo V

ion-spray interface. The instrument was cal ibrated for eight PFCA homologues (Table 4­

2) plus the recovery check st andard at eight concentration levels in the concentration

range of 0.3 to 100 ng/mL with triplicate injec tions. The instrument detection limits for

individual PFCAs in the injection sample were ≤ 0.05 ng/mL. The method detection limits

were 1.0 to 3.9 ng/g for solid AOCs and 1.1 to 6.8 ng/g for liquid AOCs. The practical

quantification limit for the injection sample wa s 0.3 ng/mL, which is e quivalent to 3 ng/g

for solid AOCs and 7.5 ng/g for liquid AOCs.

7

# The extraction and analytical methods de scribed above have been evaluated and

are reported elsewhere [21]



# .

Table 4-2. Analyte names, chemicals formulas, and chemical abstracts service

registration numbers (CAS#)

Analyte name Chemical formula CAS#

perfluoropentanoic acid C 5 

# F 11 

# COOH 2706-90-3

perfluorohexanoic acid C 6 

# F 13 

# COOH 307-24-4

perfluoroheptanoic acid C 7 

# F 15 

# COOH 375-85-9

perfluorooctanoic acid C 8 

# F 17 

# COOH 335-67-1

perfluorononanoic acid C 9 

# F 19 

# COOH 375-95-1

perfluorodecanoic acid C 10 

# F 21 

# COOH 335-76-2

perfluoroundecanoic acid C 11 

# F 23 

# COOH 2058-94-8

perfluorododecanoic acid C 12 

# F 25 

# COOH 307-55-1

4.5 Quality Assurance and Quality Control

A quality assurance project plan (QAPP) was developed before the start of the

project. The acceptance criterion for the calib ration curve was that the coefficient of

determination (r 2 

# ) be no less than 0.99. The internal audit program (IAP) standard, which

contains at least four of the calibrated PFCAs using a different chemical source, was

prepared by someone other than the person w ho prepared the calibration standards. The

analyst who conducted the calib ration received the IAP st andard without knowing the

concentrations. IAP standards were analyzed after each calibration as a measurement of

calibration verification. The criterion for accepta nce was that the calculated concentration

and measured IAP standard using the calibratio n had to be within 15% of each other.

Daily calibration check (DCC) standards, appr oximately 5 ng/mL for each analyte, were

analyzed to evaluate the LC/M S/MS performance. Analytical results of a sample batch

were considered acceptable onl y if the percent recovery of the DCC was within 100 ±

15% and the percent relative standard deviati on (%RSD) of DCCs wa s within ± 15%. All

samples and standards were injected in triplicate.

Solvents, glassware, gloves, and the HPLC system were routinely checked for

PFCA contamination. A solvent blank was prepared with each set of standards and

samples to assess the solvent and the HPLC system.

Each AOC sample was extracted in duplicate for LC/MS/MS analysis. The

analytical results were consid ered acceptable when the measured concentrations were in

the calibration range, the RSD for duplicates was within 20%, and the recovery of the

recovery check standard was within 100 ± 20%.

8

# 5. Results

5.1 Statistics of AOC Samples

A total of 130 AOC samples containing at least 0.01% (w /w) fluorine were

obtained between March 2007 and May 2008. The dates the samples were manufactured

were unknown, because the product labels did not include that information. Breakdowns

of these samples by article category are give n in Table 5-1. Samp le descriptions and

conversion factors are presented in the Appendix (Table A-1).

Table 5-1. Sample breakdowns by article category

Category ID Category name Samples

A Pre-treated carpeting 9

B Commercial carpet-care liquids 9

C Household carpet/fabric- care liquids and foams 12

D Treated apparel 16

E Treated home textile and upholstery 14

F Treated non-woven medical garments 5

G Treated floor waxes and stone/wood sealants 11

H Treated food contact paper 5

I Membranes for apparel 10

J Thread sealant tapes and pastes 10

K Non-stick cookware 14

L Dental floss and plaque removers 8

M Miscellaneous a 

# 7

a 

# Includes four car-care products, two boat-ca re products, one deck cleaner, and one dry

sack for outdoor use.

The samples were divided approximately equally between domestic and imported

products: United States

− 58, China

− 35, Thailand

− 5, Dominican Republic

− 3, France

− 3, Malaysia

− 3, Mexico

− 3, Bangladesh

− 2, Canada

− 2, Indonesia

− 2, Ireland

− 2,

Sri Lanka

− 2, Vietnam

− 2, Brazil

− 1, Colombia

− 1, England

− 1, Italy

− 1, Nicaragua

− 1, and Pakistan

− 1. The origins of two samples coul d not be identified. According to

the product labels, six imported articles used materials or contain components made in

the United States, and one domestic product used imported material.

5.2 Data Quality

Samples were analyzed in batches. Each ba tch included four to seven AOC samples in

duplicate, one solvent blank, one field blank, and two daily calibration check standards.

For individual analytes, the re lative standard deviation for duplicate samples had to be

9

# within 20% to be accepted. The estimated pr ecision of the results was 100 ± 20% based

on duplicate samples, and the accuracy was 100 ± 20% based on the recovery of RCS.

The data presented were not adjusted for recovery of RCS. The RCS recoveries for

individual samples are availabl e in the last column in Tables 5-2 through 5-14. Of the 130

AOC samples, 116 were analyzed successfully. For the 116 sets of valid data, the average

percent recovery of RCS was 97.9%. The result s of the remaining 14 samples failed to

meet the data quality requirements after three or more trials, and th e data were discarded.

Low recovery (i.e., <80%) for the recovery check standard was the common cause of the

failures. These samples are identified in the footnotes of Tables 5-2 through 5-14. They

belong to eight article categories, and no obvious trends could be identified.

5.3 Extractable PFCA Content in AOC Samples

Complete data for PFCA content in indivi dual samples is presented in Tables 5-2

through 5-14, in which the following abbreviations and fonts are used:

BDL = result below instrument detection limit,

NR = not reported (i.e., the result does not meet data quality requirements),

RCS = recovery check standard; RCS percen t recovery is the average of duplicate

or triplicate samples, and

Italics = result below practical quantification limit.

Figure 5-1 shows the distribution of the total amount of PFCAs (TPFCA, the sum of C5

to C12 PFCAs) for the 116 samples. Note that , for data comparability, the results for nonstick cookware have been converted from (ng/cm 2 

# ) to (ng/g) by assuming an average

coating thickness of 50 μ m and a PTFE density of 2.2 g/cm 3 [17]



# .

10Table 5-2. Extractable PFCAs inpre-treated carpeting (ng/g fiber)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)A-1NR3.98×1011.41×1011.04×1016.31×1005.29×1002.34×100BDL81.7A-2BDLBDLNRBDLBDLBDL6.17 

# ×10-1BDL91.4A-3BDLBDLNR8.39×100NR7.26×100NR5.19×10084.3A-4BDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDL6.59 

# ×10-1BDL90.8A-5bNRNR7.46×1014.62×1027.26×1018.84×1012.01×101NR81.9A-6cBDLNRNR5.77×1006.56×100BDL3.64 

# ×1002.10 

# ×10084.6A-8b2.16×1022.42×1025.16×1022.98×1022.92×1021.46×1025.22×1016.35×10192.4A-91.15×1011.92×1014.30×1011.99×1012.07×1011.84×1011.23×1014.20×10184.7aResults for sample A-7 failed to meet data quality requirements;bThis sample was extracted in triplicate;cAccording to the vendor, sampleA-6 is a replacement of A-5.11Table 5-3. Extractable PFCAs in commercial carpet-care liquids (ng/g)SampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)B-11.73×1035.20×1031.41×1046.75×1038.86×1034.38×1034.00×1032.15×103100B-21.61 

# ×1011.75×1025.18×1015.96×102NR1.67×1022.80 

# ×101NR84.1B-32.19 

# ×1014.48×1014.95×1015.01×1015.61×101NRNRNR100B-4a1.23×1021.00×1037.47×1015.99×102NRNRNRNR106B-51.14 

# ×1013.09×1011.98×1011.91×1016.38 

# ×100BDLNRNR99.9B-61.94×1035.25×1031.3×1045.01×1038.46×1032.93×1033.05×1039.57×10290.8B-7b3.63×1029.28×1022.56×1031.84×103NR1.33×1038.44×102NR101B-8a3.77×1021.84×1031.48×1031.72×1031.30×1038.41×1025.07 

# ×1024.43 

# ×10296.3B-9bNR2.20×1011.42 

# ×1012.55×1011.75×1012.10×1011.62×1018.52 

# ×100101aSamples B-4 and B-8 are of same brand, but were purchased 1 year apart;bSamples B-7 and B-9 are of same brand, but were purchased 1 year apart;18Table 5-4. Extractable PFCAs in household carpet/fabric care liquidsand foams (ng/g)SampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)C-1BDLBDL1.14×1016.97×1003.09 

# ×1001.14 

# ×100BDLNR120C-2BDLBDLBDLBDL1.63 

# ×1013.25 

# ×1014.29 

# ×101BDL105C-31.40×1021.09×1032.50×1031.18×1031.71×1036.76×1028.01×1023.28×102103C-4NR7.55×101NR6.66×102NR1.04×102BDLBDL98.3C-5NR1.95×102BDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDL93.4C-6NR3.90×101BDL1.09 

# ×101BDLBDLBDLBDL103C-7NRBDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDL97.6C-8NRBDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDL81.0C-9BDL1.73×102BDL7.07×1021.99 

# ×1012.89×1024.51 

# ×101BDL94.6C-10BDL4.18×101BDL8.79×1012.15 

# ×1013.36×1011.21 

# ×1011.69 

# ×101105C-111.84×1015.61×1011.21×1011.37×1025.70 

# ×1004.00×101BDL7.91 

# ×10086.3C-12NRBDLBDL6.64×101NR1.86×101BDLBDL10819Table 5-5. Extractable PFCAsin treated apparel (ng/g)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)D-1bD-2D-3D-4D-5D-6D-7D-8D-10D-11D-12D-13D-14D-157.26×1015.41 

# ×10-21.64×101NRNR1.08×1003.94×1006.77×100NRNRBDL1.75×1004.26×1003.55×1001.53×1021.43×1004.32×1012.70×1012.72×1012.71×1003.83×1012.91×1016.37×1012.83×1014.21×1001.40×1012.61×1014.61×1002.21×1021.08×1006.49×1018.96×100NR3.11×1008.05×1001.27×1011.87×1014.92×1004.73×1004.66×1007.12×1008.58×1001.14×102NR1.61×1023.80×1013.20×1015.44×1005.55×1018.55×1011.09×1024.43×1012.76×1016.93×101NR1.31×1017.72×1012.86 

# ×10-12.35×1023.85×1005.97×1002.59×1004.13×1008.73×1001.36×1013.55×1006.54×1016.28×100NR5.86×1005.37×101NR6.92×1012.20×1011.35×1013.26×1002.83×1013.93×1014.68×1012.39×1011.66×1012.32×1012.30×1018.06×1003.94×1015.04 

# ×10-16.15×1011.39×1003.60×100NR1.94×1003.61×1005.17×1001.81×1002.14×1012.00×1002.03 

# ×1001.38×1004.10×1014.27 

# ×10-12.12×1011.45×1018.04×100NR1.30×1016.47×100NR9.42×100NR5.36×100NR3.67×10010210188.999.999.310810310396.080.011389.396.086.7aResults for samples D-9 and D-16 failed to meet data quality requirements;bThis sample was extracted in triplicate.20Table 5-6. Extractable PFCAs in treated home textile and upholstery (ng/g)SampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)E-1E-2E-3E-4E-5E-6E-7E-8E-9aE-10E-11E-12E-13E-14BDLBDL3.09×101BDLBDLBDL2.16×101BDL9.47×101BDLBDLBDL1.43×100BDLBDL1.19×1006.22×101BDLBDL2.96×1006.80×1011.05×1012.38×102BDL8.56×100BDL3.87×1001.59×100NR1.22×1009.46×1011.80×1004.09 

# ×10-11.76×1009.66×101NR5.15×1021.11 

# ×1003.14 

# ×1007.96×1016.03×1001.23×1005.83×1003.26×1002.93×1023.49×1006.12 

# ×10-12.18×1003.30×1021.88×1014.38×102NR2.75×1018.50×1011.17×1013.83×100BDL1.36×1003.18×1022.01×1003.96 

# ×10-1NR2.13×1027.15×1004.37×102NR3.95 

# ×1003.41 

# ×1014.37×1001.78×1002.66×100BDL1.80E×102BDLBDL2.20×1001.25×1028.99×1002.47×1022.42×1008.37×100BDL6.55×1002.29×100NRBDL9.80×101BDLBDL6.80 

# ×10-14.57×101NR1.86×102BDLBDLBDL5.63×10-11.09×100NRNRNRNRBDL7.78 

# ×10-14.30×101NR1.10×1029.34 

# ×10-1BDL3.73 

# ×101NR1.13×10011110897.391.189.210210010611099.097.297.9103104aThis sample was extracted in triplicate.21Table 5-7. Extractable PFCAs in treated non-woven medical garments (ng/g)SampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)F-14.31×1001.45×1012.05×1014.62×1017.82×1012.90×1012.74×1011.05×10185.8F-24.26×100NR1.84×1014.71×1018.21×1012.00×1012.48×1018.72×10086.9F-3BDLNR9.03×1006.07×1016.33×1001.74×101NR5.30×10080.4F-47.86×1025.98×1025.06×1023.69×1023.34×1022.18×1021.73×1028.89×101101F-56.02×1001.43×1012.24×1018.42×1011.08×1026.42×1014.17×1012.69×10110122Table 5-8. Extractable PFCAs in floor waxes and stone/tile/wood sealants (ng/g)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)G-1NR4.83×1016.39×1014.48×1015.04×1011.91 

# ×1012.21 

# ×1011.41 

# ×10198.2G-2b7.19×1001.53×1012.14×1017.50×1004.19×1003.56×1001.65×1002.97×10095.4G-3b8.19×1001.41×1012.75×1011.32×1011.23×1015.32×1002.12 

# ×1003.33×100109G-4b8.62×1001.91×1012.73×1011.56×1011.17×101NR2.10 

# ×100NR116G-6BDL4.07×1016.25×1013.69×1014.76×1012.38 

# ×1012.22 

# ×1012.37 

# ×101101G-7NR1.17×1031.05×1028.05×1023.31 

# ×1013.30×102BDLBDL90.2G-81.12×1027.72×1023.13×1024.77×1021.55×1022.65×102BDLNR94.4G-9BDLBDLBDL4.35 

# ×1013.30 

# ×1013.44 

# ×101BDLBDL99.8G-103.15×1025.38×1035.46×1023.72×1032.60×1021.58×1034.15 

# ×1014.70×10292.3G-113.73×1021.16×1031.56×1031.21×1039.39×1026.32×1023.75×1022.84×102110aResults for sample G-5 failed to meet data quality requirements;bSamples G-2, G-3, and G-4 could not be filtered after dilution. They wereapplied on aluminum foil asa thin layer and dried undercover. The dry films were then extracted as solid samples. The potential PFCA loss during the curing period was not evaluated but isexpected to be insignificant.23Table 5-9. Extractable PFCAs in food contact paper (ng/g)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)H-2BDLBDLBDLBDL2.25 

# ×100BDLBDLBDL106H-3BDL1.17×101BDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDL86.9H-4BDLNRBDL1.04×102BDL7.02×101BDL5.40×101105H-52.21×1024.43×1032.85×1034.64×1031.53 

# ×101BDLBDLBDL103aResults for sample H-1 failed to meet data quality requirements.24Table 5-10. Extractable PFCAs inmembranes for apparel (ng/g)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)I-1BDL1.72×1011.15×1017.70×1015.95×1002.43×1013.24×100NR109I-2BDLNR3.23×1009.15×1001.84×1004.33×1001.10 

# ×1003.26×100108I-4BDLNRNR2.96×1011.06×1017.59×1006.01×100NR108I-58.23×1005.09×1011.21×1011.63×1021.28×1017.22×101NR2.36×101113I-7BDLNR1.09×1014.35×1018.08×1001.35×101NR6.29×10082.4I-83.33×1003.03×1015.46×1008.26×1015.97×1002.77×1012.02×100NR87.7I-9bBDLNR4.66×1001.04×1025.37×1004.19×1013.41×1008.59×100111I-10BDL2.05×1015.02×1007.30×1015.95×1002.92×1013.03 

# ×1009.82×100112aResults for sample I-3 and I-6 failed to meet data quality requirements.bThis sample was extracted in triplicate.25Table 5-11. Extractable PFCAs in thread seal tapes and pastes (ng/g)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)J-1BDLBDL2.85 

# ×1004.43 

# ×1002.82 

# ×100BDL1.69 

# ×100NR99.2J-2BDLBDLBDL5.35×1002.31 

# ×100BDL1.42 

# ×10NR102J-3BDLBDL7.32 

# ×10-1NRNRNRBDLNR82.9J-4BDLBDLNRNRNRNRBDLNR92.0J-5BDLBDLNR2.30×1012.28 

# ×100BDL1.38 

# ×1002.14 

# ×10096.1J-6BDLNRNR1.44×1032.80×100BDLBDLBDL105J-7BDL1.97×1012.87×1013.49×1034.56 

# ×100BDLBDLBDL109J-9BDLBDLBDLBDL1.67 

# ×101BDL9.86 

# ×1001.25 

# ×10193.0J-109.50×1013.26×1013.24×1013.89×1014.06×1013.62×1014.06×1013.75×10187.0aResults for sample J-8 failed to meet data quality requirements.26Table 5-12. Extractable PFCAs innon-stick cookware (ng/cm2coated surface)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)K-1K-3K-4K-5K-6K-7K-8K-9K-10K-11K-12K-13K-14BDL1.30×10-2NRNRBDLBDLBDLBDLNRBDLBDL1.87×10-2NRBDLBDLNRNRBDLBDL3.71×10-3BDLBDLBDLBDL1.31×10-27.02×10-3BDL1.55 

# ×10-3NRNRBDLBDLBDL2.55 

# ×10-34.01 

# ×10-3NR8.69×10-31.72×10-29.00×10-3BDLNR2.09×10-24.74×10-2BDLBDLBDL4.02 

# ×10-3BDL7.57×10-3BDL1.21×10-21.25×10-24.89 

# ×10-32.47 

# ×10-3NRNRBDLBDLBDL4.31 

# ×10-38.50 

# ×10-35.66×10-3BDL9.85×10-32.67×10-3BDLBDLNRNRBDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDLBDL9.56 

# ×10-3BDL2.89 

# ×10-31.48 

# ×10-3NRNRBDLBDLBDL2.55 

# ×10-33.89 

# ×10-33.12×10-3BDL9.95×10-32.60×10-33.70 

# ×10-31.88 

# ×10-3NRNR1.37×10-21.07 

# ×10-23.63×10-33.23 

# ×10-34.81 

# ×10-33.96×10-38.57×10-31.85×10-29.06×10-310396.992.099.498.294.596.498.399.595.692.295.5114aResults for sample K-2 failed to meet data quality requirements.27Table 5-13. Extractable PFCAs in dentalfloss and plaque removers (ng/g)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)L-1BDLBDLBDLNR9.39 

# ×10-1BDLBDLNR102L-22.50×100NR6.30×1005.48×100NRBDL2.87×100NR81.4L-4BDLBDL6.20 

# ×10-1NR7.02 

# ×10-1BDLBDL1.43 

# ×100118L-5BDLBDLBDL9.67×101BDLBDLBDLBDL112L-7BDLBDL3.99 

# ×100BDL5.81 

# ×100BDL3.43 

# ×1004.40 

# ×100102L-8BDLBDL1.71 

# ×1004.58×1012.25 

# ×100BDL1.33 

# ×1001.69 

# ×100106aResults for sample L-3 and L-6 failed to meet data quality requirements.28Table 5-14. Extractable PFCAs inmiscellaneous AOC samples (ng/g)aSampleIDC5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12RCSRecovery (%)M-11.08×1012.09×1016.01×1012.49×1013.28×1011.44×1011.47×1011.09×10184.9M-2BDLBDLBDLBDL8.26 

# ×101BDLBDLBDL93.0M-3BDL1.73×1022.05×1021.25×1026.95 

# ×101BDLBDLBDL89.7M-5BDLBDL0



# ×2.98 10BDLBDLBDLBDL0



# ×2.97 1080.7aResults for sample M-4, M-6 and L-7 failed to meet data quality requirements.29

# 0 10 20 30 40 50Sample Number



# >10 4 

# 10 3 

# -10 4 

# 10 2 

# -10 3 

# 10 1 

# -10 2 

# 10 0 

# -10 1 

# <10 0



# TPFCA Range (ng/g)

Figure 5-1. Distribution of total extrac table PFCAs for 116 AOC samples.

30

# 5.4 Statistics by sample category

The ranges, arithmetic means, and median s of PFCA content for individual article

categories are presented in Figures 5-2 th rough 5-14. The overall TPFCA range is from

non-detectable to 47100 ng/g; the range for PFOA is from non-detectable to 6750 ng/g.

For most article categories, the means were greater than the medians in most cases,

indicating that the PFCA content in a small number of samples was significantly higher

than in the rest of samples.

0 100 200 300 400 500 600Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-2. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medi ans for PFCAs in the fiber of pre-treated

carpeting (N = 8).

31

# 0 4000 8000 12000 16000Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-3. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medians for PFCAs in commercial carpet-care

liquids (N = 9).



# 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-4. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medians for PFCAs in household carpet /

fabric care liquids and foams (N = 12)

32

# 0 50 100 150 200 250 300Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-5. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medi ans for PFCAs in treated apparel (N = 14)

0 100 200 300 400 500 600Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-6. Ranges, arithmetic means, and me dians for PFCAs in treated home textile

products and upholstery (N = 14).

33

# 0 200 400 600 800 1000

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon NumberContent (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# Figure 5-7. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medians for PFCAs in non-woven medical

garments (N = 5)

0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon NumberContent (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# Figure 5-8. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medians for PFCAs in floor waxes and

stone/tile/wood sealants (N = 10).

34

# 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-9. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medi ans for PFCAs in food contact paper (N =

4)



# 0 50 100 150 200Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-10. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medians for PFCAs in the membranes for

apparel (N = 9). Note that the means are in visible because they are superimposed by the

medians.

35

# 0 1000 2000 3000 4000Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-11. Ranges, arithmetic means, and me dians for PFCAs in thread seal tape and

pastes (N = 9)

0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06Content (ng/cm2) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-12. Ranges, arithmetic means, a nd medians for PFCAs in non-stick cookware

(N = 13)

36

# 0 20 40 60 80 100 120Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-13. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medians for PFCAs in dental floss and

plaque removers made from PTFE (N = 6)

0 60 120 180 240Content (ng/g) 

# Range

Mean

Median



# 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 5-14. Ranges, arithmetic means, and medians for PFCAs in miscellaneous articles

(N = 4)

37

# 6. Discussion

6.1 Source Strengths

A recent study by Strynar, et al. [13] 

# reported that the house dust samples collected

from 102 home and 10 daycare centers in the United States showed higher PFOA content

and greater prevalence compared to samples collected from Japan [11] 

# and Canada [12]



# . These authors also find that 96.4% of their samples have quantifiable levels of PFOA,

suggesting widespread PFCA contamination in American homes. In simplified terms, the

strength of a PFCA source can be expressed as the product of the PFCA content in unit

weight (or area) and the quant ity of the article in a give n microenvironment. Table 6-1

compares the source strengths by using the arithmetic means for different AOC

categories and the estimated qua ntities of articles in a hypot hetical “typical” American

home. Among the 13 article cat egories, professional carp et-care liquids, pre-treated

carpeting, floor waxes and stone/tile/wood s ealers and household te xtiles and upholstery

are likely the largest PFCA sources in American homes.

38aTable 6-1.Comparison of source strengths for total amount of PFCA (TPFCA) in a hypothetical,“typical” American homeTPFCAArticleTPFCA inGroup ID Article categoryin articlequantitybhome (mg)2A Pre-treated carpetingc48.4ng/cm2150 m72.6B Commercial carpet-care liquids12000 ng/g 6 kgd71.8C Household carpet/fabric-careliquids and foams 953 ng/g 1 kg 0.95D Treated apparel198 ng/g 2 kg 0.40E Treated home textile and upholstery336 ng/g 5 kg 1.68F Treated non-woven medical garments795 ng/g 0 kg 0G Treated floor waxes and stone/tile/wood sealants 2430 ng/g 1 kg 2.42H Treated food contact paper3100 ng/g 0.01 kg 0.03I Membranes for apparel124 ng/g 1 kg 0.12J Thread seal tapes and pastes603 ng/g 0.02 kg 0.012K Non-stick cookware0.028 ng/cm21 m0.0003L Dental floss and plaqueremovers31.3 ng/g 0.005 kg 0.0002M Miscellaneous69.5 ng/g 00aThe average, single-family homesize in the U.S. in 2004 was 2330 ft2(http://www.nahb.org/).bThe quantities of articles are roughestimates.cAssuming 70% of floor area is carpet; conversion factors for total PFCAare given in supporting information.dFor oneapplication; dilution factor is considered.39

# 6.2 Comparison with literature values

Comparison between the results of this st udy and those of othe r reported studies

can be made only for PFOA, because data ar e unavailable in the li terature for other

PFCAs. As shown in Table 6-2, which compares the ranges of PFOA content in different

article categories, the results from this study a ppear significantly higher than the literature

values for treated non-woven medical garmen ts, stone/tile/wood sealants, membranes for

apparel, food contact paper, and dental flos s/tape. The opposite appears true for treated

apparel and treated home textile s. Washburn, et al. did not detect PFOA in any treated

medical garments samples [7] 

# , but PFOA was detected at relati vely high levels in all five

samples in this study (Table 5-7 and Figure 5-7). Further statistical comparisons are

impossible due to the lack of deta ils about the literature values.

Table 6-2. Comparison of PFOA content ranges betw een this study and literature values

(in ng PFOA/g sample, unless indicated otherwise)

Article category Literature a 

# This study a



# Pre-treated carpeting

Carpet-care liquid treated carpeting

Treated apparel

Treated upholstery

Treated home textiles

Treated non-woven medical garments

Industrial floor wax and wax removers

Stone, tile, and wood sealants

Membranes for apparel

Food contact paper

Dental floss/tape

Thread sealant tape

PTFE cookware 200 to 600 b



# 200 to 2000 b



# ND (<20) to1400 b



# ND (<34) b



# ND (<20) to 1400 b



# ND (<34) b



# 0.5 to 60 b



# ND (<100) b



# 0.008 to 0.07 ng/cm 2 b



# 6 to 290 d



# 3 to 4 d



# 1800 d



# 4 to 75 d 

# ND (<1.5) to 462

0.6 to 224 c



# 5.4 to161

0.6 to 293

3.8 to 438

46 to 369

7.5 to 44.8

477 to 3720

0.1 to 2.5 ng/cm 2



# ND (<1.5) to 4640

ND (<1.5) to 96.7

ND (<1.5) to 3490

ND (<1.5) to 4.3

a 

# ND: not detected (detecti on limit in parentheses). b 

# Data source: ref 7 (based on

theoretical calculations). c 

# Calculated by using the reco mmended coverage and assuming

the area density of the carpet is 0.25 g/cm 2



# . d 

# Data source: ref 17.

6.3 Relative Abundance of PFCAs

For fluorotelomer-treated articles (categor ies A to H in Table 5-1), three patterns

are recognizable: (a) the dist ribution of the relative abundanc es resembles, to a certain

degree, a log-normal distributi on (Figure 6-1); (b) PFCAs with even numbers of carbons

are predominant (Figure 6-2); and (c) PFCAs with odd numbers of carbons are

predominant (Figure 6-3). The frequencies of occurrence for the three patterns are (a) >

(b) > (c). Case c is rare. Depending on the ar ticle categories, the relative abundance of

PFOA (C8) ranges from 15% to 38% (Figure 6-4). The large value for category H (food

40

# contact paper) was the result of a single sample that had the highest PFCA content. The

previous study on popcorn packaging paper gave the PFOA abundance of 34% in total

(C5 to C12) PFCAs [20] 

# . For articles containing or made from fluoropolymers

(categories I to L), PFOA (C8) was the most abundant PFCA species. Its relative

abundance ranged from 38% to 93%.



# 0 5 10 15 20 25 30RelativeAbundance(%)



# 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 6-1. Relative abundance of PFCA in floor wax G-11.

41

# 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35RelativeAbundance(% )



# 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2



# PFCA Carbon NumberRelativeAbundance(%) 

# 40

30

20

10

0

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



# PFCA Carbon Number

Figure 6-2. PFCA relative abundance in sample D-7 (treated apparel).

Figure 6-3. PFCA relative abundance in samp le B-1 (commercial carpet-care liquid).

42

# 0 10 20 30 40 50PFOA Abundance (%)



# A B C D E F G H



# AOC Category

Figure 6-4. Relative abundance of PFOA (C8) in fluorotelome r-treated AOC samples (i.e.,

article categories A to H in Table 3-1).

6.4 Domestic versus Imported Articles

Side-by-side comparison between U.S. domestic products and imported products

was difficult because they were unevenly distributed among the 13 article categories

studied. For instance, pre-trea ted carpeting, carpet-care liqui d, and floor wax categories

are dominated by domestic products. On the other hand, treated apparel, treated home

textile and upholstery, treated non-woven medi cal garments, and membranes for apparel

categories are dominated by imported products . The articles with the highest PFCA

content in each category were divided a pproximately evenly between domestic and

imported products. Domestic products have the highest PFCA content in categories A, B,

C, G, H, and M, while imports have the highest PFCA content in categories D, E, F, I, K,

and L. The sample with the highest PFCA content treated non-woven medical garments

(category F) was an imported product using materials made in the U.S. Because of the

globalization of the world economy, it is obvious that international co llaboration will be

necessary to reduce further the PFCA content in consumer articles in the world market.

6.5 Market Trends

In recent years, government agencies , chemical companies, the research

community, and environmental groups have been working to reduce the production of

PFCAs and the use of PFCAs and their pr ecursor chemicals in fluorotelomer and

fluoropolymer products. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

initiated the PFOA Stewardship Program in 2006, in which the eight major companies in

the industry committed voluntarily to reduce f acility emissions and product content of

43

# PFOA and related chemicals on a global basi s by 95 percent no later than 2010 and to

work toward eliminating emissions and product content of these chemicals by 2015

( http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/pubs/pfoaste wardship.htm). During the process of

collecting samples for this st udy, the application of fluorin ated chemicals in AOCs had

been undergoing a transition aimed at reduci ng the PFCA content. The availability of

treated AOCs in certain categor ies, such as treated appare l and food contact paper, had

been reduced. The limited data from this study seem to suggest that some fluorinated

surface-modifying agents have been re-formu lated to lower the PFCA content. The first

two cases in Table 6-3 show such change s. The trends are uneven, however, and

significant numbers of articles with high PFOA content are still on the market. In one

case, the PFOA content even increased significantly (the third case in Table 6-3). The

data in Table 3-3 are very limited in scope and the two sampling times are only one year

apart. It takes a much longer period of time (e.g., several years) and a much wider range

of sampling to confirm any trends.

Table 6-3. Changes in PFOA content for three AOC samples

PFOA content (ng/g) a 

# Product p-Value b



# Apr-May 2007 May 2008

Pre-treated carpet 462 ± 51.6 5.88 ± 0.444 <0.001

Commercial carpet protector 1838 ± 92.7 24.5 ± 1.21 <0.0001

Commercial carpet protector 599 ± 65.1 1722 ± 89.2 <0.001

a 

# Mean and standard deviat ion for duplicate extractions; b 

# For one-sided student test.

44

# 7. References

[1] Renner, R. Growing concern over perfluorinated chemicals.

Environmental Science & Technology 35: 154A-160A (2001).

[2] Giesy, J. P., and K. Kannan. Perfluorochemical surfactants in the environment.

Environmental Science & Technology 36: 146A–152A (2002).

[3] Kannan, K., J. Newsted, R. S. Halbrook and J. P. Giesy. Perfluorooctanesulfonate

and related fluorinated hydrocarbons in mink and river otters from the United

States. Environmental Science & Technology 36: 2566–2571 (2002).

[4] Kennedy Jr., J. L., J. L. Butenhoff, G. W. Olsen, J. C. O'Connor, A. M. Seacat, R.

G. Perkins, L. B. Biegel, S. R. Mur phy and D. G. Farrar. The toxicology of

perfluorooctanoate. Critical Review of Toxicology 34, 351-384 (2004).

[5] Lau, C., J. L. Butenhoff and J. M. Rogers. The developmental toxicity of

perfluoroalkyl acids and their derivatives, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology

. 198: 231-241 (2004).

[6] U.S. EPA. Draft risk assessment of the potenti al human health effects associated

with exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid and salts , U.S. EPA, Office of Pollution

Prevention and Toxics, http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa/pubs/pfoarisk.pdf (2005).

[7] Washburn, S. T., T. S. Bingman, S. K. Braithwaite, R. C. Buck, L. M. Buxton, H.

J. Clewell, L. A. Haroun, J. E. Kester, R. W. Rickard and A. M. Shipp. Exposure

assessment and risk characterization for pe rfluorooctanoate in selected consumer

articles. Environmental Sciences & Technology 39: 3904-3910 (2005).

[8] Fromme, H., S. A. Tittlemier, W. Völkel, M. Wilhelm and D. Twardella,

Perfluorinated compounds – exposure assessment for the general population in

western countries. International Journal of Hy giene and Environmental Health

(in press).

[9] Tittlemier, S. A., K. Pepper, C. Seymour , J. Moisey, R. Bronson, X. L. Cao and R.

W. Dabeka. Dietary exposure of Canadi ans to perfluorinated carboxylates and

perfluorooctane sulfonate via consumpti on of meat, fish, fast foods, and food

items prepared in their packaging. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55:

3203-3210 (2007).

[10] Trudel, D., L. Horowitz, M. Wormuth, M. Scheringer, I. T. Cousins, and K.

Hungerbühler. Estimating consum er exposure to PFOS and PFOA. Risk Analysis

28: 251-269 (2008).

45

# [11] Moriwaki, H., Y. Takatah, and R. Arak awa. Concentrations of perfluorooctane

sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in vacuum cleaner dust

collected in Japanese homes, Journal of Environmental Monitoring 5: 753-757

(2003).

[12] Kubwabo, C., B. Stewart, J. Zhu and L. Marro. Occurrence of perfluorosulfonates

and other perfluorochemicals in dust from selected homes in the city of Ottawa.

Journal of Environmental Monitoring 7: 1074-1078 (2005).

[13] Strynar M. J., and A. B. Lindstrom. Perfluorinated compounds in house dust from

Ohio and North Carolina, Environmental Science & Technology 42: 3751-3756

(2008).

[14] Prevedouros, K., I. T. Cousins, R. C. Buck and S. H. Korzeniowski. Sources, fate

and transport of perfluorocarboxylates. Environmental Science & Technology 40:

32-44 (2006).

[15] Rao, N. S., and B. E. Baker. “Text ile Finishes and Fluorosurfactants.” In

Orgaofluorine Chemistry , ed. R. E. Banks, B. E. Smart and J. C. Tatlow, Plenum

Press, New York and London, 1994.

[16] Kissa, E. Fluorinated Surfactants and Repellents, 2 nd 

# ed. Marcel Dekker Inc. New

York and Basel, 2001.

[17] Begley, T. H., K. White, P. Honigfort, M. L.Twarski, R. Neches, R. and R. A.

Walker. Perfluorochemicals: potential sources of and migration from food

packaging. Food Additives and Contaminants 22: 1023-1031 (2005).

[18] Powley, C. R., M. J. Michalczyk, M. A. Kaiser and L. W. Buxton. Determination

of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) extrac table from the surface of commercial

cookware under simulated cooking conditions by LC/MS/MS. Analyst 130: 1299­

1302 (2005).

[19] Bononi, M. and F. Tateo. Identificati on of perfluorooctanoic acid release from

commercial coated cooking pans by liquid chromatograpgy coupled to electospray

ionization tandem mass spectrometry, American Journal of Agricultural &

Biological Science. 2: 191-194 (2007).

[20] Sinclair, E., S. K. Kim, H. B. Akin leye and K. Kannan, Quantitation of gas-phase

perfluoroalkyl surfactants and flurot elomer alcohols released from nonstick

cookware and microwave popcorn bags, Environmental Sciences & Technology.

41: 1170-1175 (2007).

[21] Liu, X., K. Krebs, Z. Guo and N. Roache. Method development for liquid

chromatography/triple quadrupole mass sp ectrometer analysis of trace level

46

# perfluorocarboxylic acids in articles of commerce. Journal of Chromatography A

(in press).

47

# Appendix

Description of AOC Samples

Table A-1. Sample descript ion and conversion factor a



# Sample

ID Description Conversion Factor

Units Value

A. Pre-treated carpeting

A-1 Nylon Carpet 1 g of fiber/cm 2 

# 1.41 × 10 -1



# A-2 Renewably sourced polymer g of fiber/cm 2 

# 8.57 × 10 -2



# A-3 Polyester carpet g of fiber/cm 2 

# 9.33 × 10 -2



# A-4 Berber 94% Olefin/6%N ylon carpet g of fiber/cm 2 

# 1.13 × 10 -1



# A-5 Nylon Carpet 2 g of fiber/cm 2 

# 1.31 × 10 -1



# A-6 Frieze nylon carpet g of fiber/cm 2 

# 7.15 × 10 -2



# A-7 Nylon Carpet 3 g of fiber/cm 2 

# 6.61 × 10 -2



# A-8 Textured carpet g of fiber/cm 2 

# 1.45 × 10 -1



# A-9 Nylon Carpet 4 g of fiber/cm 2 

# 7.44 × 10 -2



# B. Commercial carpet/fabric ca re liquids (not applicable)

B-1 Carpet and upholster y protector N/A N/A

B-2 Carpet protector concentrate 1 N/A N/A

B-3 Fabric protector solvent based N/A N/A

B-4 Carpet protector concentrate 2 N/A N/A

B-5 Carpet/upholstery prot ector concentrate N/A N/A

B-6 Carpet protector concentrate 3 N/A N/A

B-7 RTU Carpet protector N/A N/A

B-8 Carpet protector N/A N/A

B-9 RTU Carpet protector N/A N/A

C. Carpet/fabric care liquids for spot treatment

C-1 Household carpet shampoo N/A N/A

C-2 Carpet spot and stain remover N/A N/A

C-3 Spot removal kit N/A N/A

C-4 Fabric protector 1 N/A N/A

C-5 Fabric protector 2 N/A N/A

C-6 Household carpet protector N/A N/A

C-7 Household carpet/uphol stery cleaner N/A N/A

C-8 Household spot & stain remover N/A N/A

C-9 Wash-in waterproofing N/A N/A

C-10 Spray-on water repellent N/A N/A

C-11 Wash-in waterproofing N/A N/A

C-12 Spray-on water repellent N/A N/A

a 

# N/A = not applicable.

48

# Table A-1. Sample description and conversion factor (cont.)

Sample

ID Description Conversion Factor

Units Value

D. Treated apparel

D-1 Man's pant g/cm 2 

# 2.06 × 10 -2



# D-2 Man's short pant g/cm 2 

# 2.50 × 10 -2



# D-3 Girl's uniform shirt g/cm 2 

# 2.28 × 10 -2



# D-4 Boy's dress shirt 1 g/cm 2 

# 1.60 × 10 -2



# D-5 Boy's dress pant 2 g/cm 2 

# 2.61 × 10 -2



# D-6 Lady's dress pant g/cm 2 

# 2.35 × 10 -2



# D-7 Girl's uniform pant g/cm 2 

# 2.30 × 10 -2



# D-8 Woman's hiking shoe g/cm 2 

# 2.35 × 10 -2



# D-9 Woman's knee pant g/cm 2 

# 1.23 × 10 -2



# D-10 Man's dress pant g/cm 2 

# 2.93 × 10 -2



# D-11 Man's polo shirt g/cm 2 

# 2.18 × 10 -2



# D-12 Man's nylon shirt g/cm 2 

# 1.10 × 10 -2



# D-13 Man's dress shirt 1 g/cm 2 

# 1.14 × 10 -2



# D-14 Man's dress pant 2 g/cm 2 

# 2.78 × 10 -2



# D-15 Man's dress pant 3 g/cm 2 

# 2.65 × 10 -2



# D-16 Lab coat g/cm 2 

# 1.68 × 10 -2



# E. Treated home textile and upholstery

E-1 Microfiber fabric 1 g/cm 2 

# 2.43 × 10 -2



# E-2 Microfiber fabric 2 g/cm 2 

# 2.45 × 10 -2



# E-3 Loveseat slip cover 100% cotton g/cm 2 

# 1.80 × 10 -2



# E-4 Loveseat slip cover 100% polyester g/cm 2 

# 2.49 × 10 -2



# E-5 Loveseat slip cover 60% cotton/40%

polyester g/cm 2 

# 2.00 × 10 -2



# E-6 Loveseat slip cover 100% polyester g/cm 2 

# 1.40 × 10 -2



# E-7 Mattress pad 1 g/cm 2 

# 1.35 × 10 -2



# E-8 Mattress pad 2 g/cm 2 

# 1.95 × 10 -2



# E-9 Mattress pad 3 g/cm 2 

# 1.38 × 10 -2



# E-10 Table cloth g/cm 2 

# 1.60 × 10 -2



# E-11 Ironing board cover g/cm 2 

# 1.18 × 10 -2



# E-12 Table cloth g/cm 2 

# 2.19 × 10 -2



# E-13 Upholstery fabric, 57% cotton/43% polyester g/cm 2 

# 4.75 × 10 -2



# E-14 100% Cotton throw g/cm 2 

# 2.20 × 10 -2



# F. Treated non-woven medical garments

F-1 Lab coat g/cm 2 

# 6.00 × 10 -3



# F-2 Surgical gown 1 g/cm 2 

# 6.00 × 10 -3



# F-3 Surgical gown 2 g/cm 2 

# 5.00 × 10 -3



# F-4 Surgical gown 3 g/cm 2 

# 7.50 × 10 -3



# F-5 Reuseable pillow g/cm 2 

# 1.10 × 10 -2



# 49

# Table A-1. Sample description and conversion factor (cont.)

Sample

ID Description Conversion Factor

Units Value

G. Treated floor waxes and stone/tile/wood sealants

G-1 Household floor wax 1 N/A N/A

G-2 Household floor wax 2 N/A N/A

G-3 Commercial spra y and buff N/A N/A

G-4 Commercial floor sealer 1 N/A N/A

G-5 Commercial floor sealer 2 N/A N/A

G-6 Commercial floor sealer 3 N/A N/A

G-7 Stone & tile sealer N/A N/A

G-8 Granite sealer N/A N/A

G-9 Household floor polish N/A N/A

G-10 Marble & granite sealer N/A N/A

G-11 Stone, tile & wood sealant N/A N/A

H. Treated food contact paper

H-1 French fry bag g/cm 2 

# 3.25 × 10 -3



# H-2 French fry carton g/cm 2 

# 2.41 × 10 -2



# H-3 Popcorn bucket g/cm 2 

# 1.99 × 10 -2



# H-4 Popcorn bag g/cm 2 

# 3.87 × 10 -3



# H-5 Microwave cooking bag g/cm 2 

# 8.60 × 10 -3



# I. Membranes for apparel

I-1 Women's rain jacket g/cm 2 

# 9.83 × 10 -3



# I-2 Men's rain jacket g/cm 2 

# 9.39 × 10 -3



# I-3 Men's jacket g/cm 2 

# 8.64 × 10 -3



# I-4 Women's insulated pant g/cm 2 

# 1.59 × 10 -2



# I-5 Men's parka g/cm 2 

# 1.82 × 10 -2



# I-6 Woman's rain jacket g/cm 2 

# 1.90 × 10 -2



# I-7 Sombrero (hat) 1 g/cm 2 

# 1.30 × 10 -2



# I-8 Sombrero (hat) 2 g/cm 2 

# 1.40 × 10 -2



# I-9 Man's rain parka g/cm 2 

# 9.00 × 10 -3



# I-10 Ball cap g/cm 2 

# 1.83 × 10 -2



# J. Thread seal tapes and pastes

J-1 1/2" Tape 1 g/cm 2 

# 2.97 × 10 -3



# J-2 1/2" Tape 2 g/cm 2 

# 2.86 × 10 -3



# J-3 1/2" Tape 3 g/cm 2 

# 2.66 × 10 -3



# J-4 1/2" Tape 4 g/cm 2 

# 2.71 × 10 -3



# J-5 1/2" Tape 5 g/cm 2 

# 2.89 × 10 -3



# J-6 1/2" Tape 6 g/cm 2 

# 1.01 × 10 -3



# J-7 1/2" Tape 7 g/cm 2 

# 9.49 × 10 -3



# J-8 Pipe thread sealant 1 N/A N/A

J-9 Pipe thread sealant 2 N/A N/A

50

# Table A-1. Sample description and conversion factor (cont.)

Sample

ID Description Conversion Factor

Units Value

J. Thread seal tapes and pastes (cont.)

J-10 Pipe thread sealant 3 N/A N/A

K. Non-stick cookware

K-1 10" Fry pan N/A N/A

K-2 10" Fry pan w/lid N/A N/A

K-3 5 qt Sautesse w/lid N/A N/A

K-4 12" Fry pan w/lid N/A N/A

K-5 14" Untility pan w/lid N/A N/A

K-6 10" Camp fry pan N/A N/A

K-7 Child's mess kit N/A N/A

K-8 Cookie sheet N/A N/A

K-9 11" Skillet N/A N/A

K-10 2 qt Sauce pan N/A N/A

K-11 22-cm Fry pan N/A N/A

K-12 10" Skillet N/A N/A

K-13 10" Skillet N/A N/A

K-14 4 qt 10.5" Sauteuse pan N/A N/A

L. Dental floss and plaque removers

L-1 Unflavored floss g/m 1.75E-01

L-2 Mint floss g/m 1.30E-01

L-3 Satin floss g/m 9.91E-02

L-4 Satin tape g/m 1.21E-01

L-5 Flosser g/m 4.67E-02

L-6 Deep clean floss g/m 1.42E-01

L-7 Micro-mint flosser g/m 4.67E-02

L-8 Angle flosser g/m 1.53E-01

M. Miscellaneous

M-1 Tire shine N/A N/A

M-2 Car spray wax N/A N/A

M-3 Car wheel cleaner N/A N/A

M-4 Dry sack g/cm 2 

# 1.00E-02

M-5 Deck cleaner N/A N/A

M-6 Boat polish 1 N/A N/A

M-7 Boat polish 2 N/A N/A

51