Researchers have found high levels of the dangerous chemicals called “forever chemicals” or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in school uniforms sold across the United States. This is another example of how PFAS are found in many consumer products, industrial products, and textiles.
In a study that was published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters, scientists from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana University, the University of Toronto, and the Green Science Policy Institute looked at different types of children’s clothing. As much as 65% of the samples analysed contained detectable levels of fluorine.
However, concentrations were highest in school uniforms, particularly those marked as being made entirely of cotton as opposed to synthetic materials.
“What was surprising about this group of samples was,” says co-author Graham Peaslee, “the high detection frequency of PFAS in the garments required for children to wear.”
Children are especially vulnerable to chemicals of concern, and no one knows that PFAS and other toxic chemicals are used to treat these textiles
Millions of kids could be at risk of exposure to the harmful substances since uniforms are required at about 20% of U.S. public schools.
PFAS, also referred to as “forever chemicals,” are known to build up in the bloodstream and have been associated with a higher risk of a number of illnesses, such as impaired immune systems, obesity, asthma, and neurodevelopmental and behavioural issues. Blood samples from children aged 3 to 11 have consistently tested positive for PFAS in the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.
There are several ways to get directly exposed to PFAS via clothing, including skin contact, inhalation, and ingestion.
In total, 72 product samples were included in this investigation, all of which had been acquired in 2020 and 2021 from online retailers in the United States and Canada. Products with labels indicating water or stain resistance, windproofness, or wrinkle resistance were the subject of the study. Outerwear like rain suits, snowsuits, and mittens, as well as accessories like bibs, hats, and baby shoes, as well as sweatshirts, swimwear, and stroller covers also were tested.
More research is needed to find out how concentrations change over the course of a lifetime of use and washings.
“There is no consumer option to purchase clothing that can be washed instead of clothing that comes coated with chemicals to reduce stains,” Peaslee adds. “We hope one of the outcomes of this work would be increased labeling of textiles to fully inform the purchaser of the chemicals used to treat the fabric prior to sale so consumers have the ability to pick garments that were not treated with chemicals for their children.”
All of the items that were bought were first checked for fluorine at Notre Dame using a new method called particle-induced gamma ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy, which was created by Peaslee.
Peaslee’s lab has found PFAS using the PIGE method in cosmetics, fast food wrappers, face masks, firefighting equipment, and drinking water.
The Environmental Protection Agency has taken steps to officially classify chemicals as harmful for all time, but the study serves as a reminder of how persistent PFAS and PFOAS are in the environment and how they are still used in consumer and industrial goods.
Source: Environmental Science & Technology Letters
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