This document specifies a test method, including the degradation of certain side-chain fluorinated polymers during the extraction with simultaneous alkaline hydrolysis, and using liquid chromatography (LC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for identification and quantification of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The document is applicable to all materials of textile products.
Table 2 indicates a list of target PFAS which can be analysed with this document. PFAS of Table 2 marked with the footnote e) and footnote f) undergo alkaline hydrolysis and only their per- or polyfluorinated degradation products such as PFOA or n:2 fluorotelomer alcohols (n:2 FTOHs, n = 4, 6, 8, 10) can be determined.
Through the methods outlined in the informative Annex E and Annex F, free n:2 FTOHs, PFOA and non-polymeric PFAS of Table 2 marked with the footnote e) and footnote f), that are not stable to alkaline hydrolysis, can be identified and quantified.
Certain side-chain fluorinated polymers release n:2 FTOHs (n = 4, 6, 8, 10) under the described extraction conditions. Since these side-chain fluorinated polymers can be PFOA or C9-C14 PFCA-related substances restricted by the EU-POPs [1] or EU-REACH [2] regulations, the amounts of released n:2 FTOHs can be used to indirectly assess whether the concentration of the aforementioned side-chain fluorinated polymers exceed limits for PFOA or C9-C14 PFCA-related substances.
This document is also applicable to the determination of further PFAS, provided that the method is validated with the additional substances and that these PFAS are stable to alkaline hydrolysis and dehydrofluorination.
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