Are PFAS Chemicals Sneaking into Your Cleanroom Supply Chain?

If you’ve recently walked through the cookware section of your favorite store, you might have noticed a shift. The classic black nonstick pots and pans are increasingly being replaced by enameled, stainless steel, cast iron, and ceramic options.

This change is more than just a trend in cookware design. It’s related to the growing awareness about PFAS and its direct and indirect use in consumer goods, high-tech manufacturing, cleanroom environments, and more.

Table of Content

What is PFAS?

Why is PFAS used?

The History of PFAS

Test Methods for PFAS

Why Does PFAS Matter in the Cleanroom?

What to do About PFAS in Your Cleanroom Supply Chain

What is PFAS?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals,” are a large group of human-made chemicals that are characterized by chains of carbon atoms that are fully or partially fluorinated.

Because they are bonded with fluorine atoms, PFAS are highly resistant to breaking down and can build up in the environment and living organisms. PFAS has been found in people and animals all over the world and in a variety of food products, soils and water.

Current research indicates that exposure to some PFAS may lead to negative health outcomes. However, research is ongoing to determine how varied levels of exposure might affect health in different ways.

The EPA currently regulates six PFAS in drinking water due to associated health risks:

1. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA),
2. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS),
3. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA),
4. Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS),
5. Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), and 
6. Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA or GenX)

In addition to these six pillar PFAS, there are dozens of other chemicals that have been found in the environment that serve as “precursors,” meaning they will eventually break down to one of the pillar PFAS, or a combination of them.

For example, fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), used in the production of some paints, adhesives, and cleaning agents, are not on the list of EPA-regulated PFAS. However, FTOHs are precursor chemicals that break down over time to a combination of PFAS chemicals.

Why is PFAS used?

PFAS are known for their resistance to heat, grease, water, oil, and stains, as well as their low cost of production. For decades, they have been used directly and indirectly in a variety of consumer and industrial products, as well as in many manufacturing environments.

Direct uses of PFAS:

• Nonstick cookware: PFAS used in the production of pots and pans.
• Cleaning products: Some cleaning products use PFAS to enhance their effectiveness in repelling stains and grease.
• Shampoo, cosmetics and beauty products: PFAS can be used to improve the texture, consistency, and other properties of a product. For example, PFAS in dental floss for smoother gliding or PFAS in waterproof mascara to prevent smudging.
• Food packaging: Some fast-food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags use PFAS in the lining materials, so they resist grease and stains.
• Carpets, clothing and other fabrics: PFAS can be applied to fabric for stain and water resistance.
• Firefighting foam: Certain types of PFAS are used in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) for firefighting, especially for extinguishing flammable liquid fires.

Indirect uses of PFAS: 

• Industrial processes: PFAS can be found in some process chemicals that are used in high-tech manufacturing.
• Chrome plating: Some coatings that are added to manufacturing equipment and tools use PFAS to prevent corrosion.
• Oil recovery: PFAS may be present in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) fluids and other chemicals used in the extraction of crude oil.
• Construction materials: Some insulation, roofing, flooring, and finishes may contain PFAS or have been treated with them and can be indirectly involved in a manufacturing process but aren’t part of the finished product.

The History of PFAS

PFAS was first discovered in the late 1930s and by the 1950s they were being used extensively in products like non-stick pans and stain-resistant fabrics.

In the 1980s and 90s, studies started to reveal the environmental persistence and health risks of PFAS and its accumulation in living organisms.

Awareness of these risks continued to grow in the 2000s, leading to legal cases and regulatory proposals aimed at limiting the use of PFOA and PFOS.

In the 2010s, the EPA proposed regulations, and some states moved to ban PFAS altogether. During this time, some companies began phasing out certain PFAS and using alternatives.

This year, the EPA published Method 1633, “Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Aqueous, Solid, Biosolids, and Tissue Samples by LC-MS/MS” which is intended to provide standard procedures for the analysis of PFAS in a wide range of sample types.

Initially, the EPA was focused on testing for hazardous chemicals in drinking water. However, as PFAS was identified in other environmental media – such as groundwater, soil, sediment, wastewater, and biosolids – and as concerns about PFAS in consumer products grew, Method 1633 adapted and continues to evolve.

Test Methods for PFAS

There are three generally accepted analytical methods for PFAS testing :

1. Total Organic Fluorine (TOF)

TOF PFAS testing measures the total amount of organic fluorine in a sample, which helps indicate the presence of PFAS but doesn’t identify specific compounds. TOF is typically used as a diagnostic tool for high impact zones.

2. Non-Target Analysis or Suspect Screening

This PFAS testing method involves screening for a broad range of PFAS compounds without knowing in advance which specific chemicals are present. It helps identify unknown or suspected PFAS compounds based on their characteristics.

3. Target Analysis

Target analysis provides the concentrations of a specific defined set of known analytes. For example, EPA Method 1633 currently includes 40 listed analytes.

Because many of the tools and methods related to PFAS testing didn’t exist in the consumer product space until recently, there’s a great deal of confusion in the marketplace surrounding PFAS and what test methods should be used to identify it.

Why Does PFAS Matter in the Cleanroom?

The risk of PFAS chemicals in the cleanroom environment is two-fold:

1. Generally, people working in any type of laboratory or manufacturing environment want to feel safe and know that the compounds they regularly come into contact with won’t put their health at risk. Research is still ongoing to understand the health impact of long-term, low-level PFAS exposure.
2. In some cases, PFAS chemicals can be a type of contamination that will impact the delicate products and processes in a controlled environment.

Even if you aren’t using PFAS chemicals directly in your controlled environment, you could be unknowingly introducing PFAS into the environment through one of your supply chain partners.

What to do About PFAS in Your Cleanroom Supply Chain

Different industries are adopting different analysis methods and thresholds for what it means to be “PFAS free.” It’s more important than ever to establish a transparent supply chain to ensure that all related components, products, and suppliers in your pipeline comply with regulations.

Make sure you’re asking your suppliers the right questions:

1. Is PFAS used directly in the production of your products?
2. What analysis method have you used to determine that your products are “PFAS free?”
3. What detection limits did you set for testing?
4. Are you testing for all 40 of the EPA’s pillar and precursor chemicals?
5. If not, which chemicals are you testing for?
6. What are you doing to stay informed and proactive?

While research continues and more information becomes available about PFAS and their impact on the environment and public health, organizations should monitor developments in their industries.

As a best practice, stay up to date by joining an association like the Sustainable PFAS Action Network (SPAN), the SEMI PFAS Initiative, the Advanced Medical Technology Association, the ASTM’s Committee F15 on Consumer Products, or other related working groups that are aligned with your industry.

EXPLORE MORE RESOURCES:

Signs Your Cleanroom Design Needs a Refresh: A Guide to Re-evaluating Specifications

Why Repeatable, Standardized Testing is Important for Cleanroom Products

Modern Methods for Detecting Contaminants in Cleanrooms: An Overview

Endotoxins: Strategies for Control in Life Science Environments