PFAS emissions from food contact materials

This application note outlines the methodology for assessing significant levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) emissions from food contact materials under typical usage conditions. PFAS were detected across a range of temperatures for the items tested, with concentrations varying from 1 pg/g to over 6000 pg/g.

The findings of this study underscore the significance of monitoring PFAS emissions from food contact materials, and the suitability of TD–GC–MS for the analysis. It was found that using a dynamic headspace technique enabled relatively large sample sizes (around 1 g) to be analysed, which offers added versatility for analysing non-uniform samples, and importantly facilitates the low-level detection of PFAS at concentrations as low as 1 pg/g. The use of dynamic headspace sampling, coupled with preconcentration through the thermal desorption analysis, means detection limits can be pushed to
incredibly low levels which may prove vital as more information is gained about PFAS toxicology.