Persistent pollutants
Weathered outdoor gear sheds PFAS into the environment
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
Six months on a Sydney rooftop cut total fluorine in DWR fabrics and raised residual PFAAs up to 100-fold, showing outdoor textiles as PFAS sources.
Key findings
After 6 months, total fluorine fell 4%, 26%, and 52% for C6, C8, and C4 finishes. After weathering plus abrasion/washing, losses reached 20–71%. PFAAs in remaining fabric rose up to 100-fold (PFDoDA from 2 to 834 ppb). Untreated cloth picked up no PFAS from air, so increases were precursor transformation, not deposition.
Methodology
Authors weathered C4, C6, and C8 side-chain fluoropolymer polyamide fabrics for 3 and 6 months on a Sydney rooftop, then abraded and washed them, tracking total fluorine, targeted PFAAs, TOP-assay precursors, fiber damage, and water repellency versus sealed and untreated controls.
Limitations
Spiked PFAAs were 74–92% lost to rain, so remaining-fabric PFAAs underestimate total emissions. n=2 weathered replicates per finish, and Sydney UV is a harsh-use scenario, not a typical closet.
How this study connects
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