What Is PFAS?
PFAS analysis is the detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances used as water and oil repellent finishes in textile products. The sample is extracted with the appropriate solvent and target compounds are measured by LC-MS/MS. Combustion ion chromatography can also be used for total fluoride screening.
Purpose of PFAS
The aim is to determine whether substances classified as persistent organic pollutants, such as PFOA, PFOS and their derivatives, are present in the product and to demonstrate regulatory compliance.
Which Products Is PFAS Applied To?
- Fabrics with water and oil repellent finishes
- Outerwear and outdoor textiles
- Carpet and upholstery
- work clothes
- Packaging and food contact paper coatings
In Which Sectors Is PFAS Used?
Standards Related to PFAS
- CEN/TS 15968 (extractable PFOA and derivatives — LC-MS/MS)
- TS EN ISO 23702-1 (tekstilde florlu maddeler)
- TS EN ISO 25101 (su matrisinde PFOS/PFOA)
PFAS Conditions
- Extraction
- With methanol or suitable solvent, ultrasonically assisted
- Measurement
- LC-MS/MS; target compound list determined by specification
- Unit
- µg/kg veya mg/kg
Equipment for PFAS
- LC-MS/MS
- Ultrasonic extraction bath
- Solid-phase extraction system
- Combustion ion chromatography (for total fluoride screening)
Sample Requirements for PFAS
- Representative sample from the finished surface
- Numune florlu ambalaj malzemesiyle temas ettirilmemeli
- Approximately 1 g specimen
- Target compound list should be clarified before analysis
Duration of PFAS
Analysis takes several working days due to extraction, cleanup, and LC-MS/MS measurement. The duration increases as the target compound list expands.
PFAS Procedure
- 1The sample is weighed and extracted with a suitable solvent.
- 2The extract is cleaned and concentrated.
- 3Isotope labeled internal standards are added.
- 4Target compounds are measured by LC-MS/MS.
- 5If necessary, total organic fluoride screening is performed.
- 6Results are reported on a compound-by-compound basis.
PFAS Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance criteria are the limits in POPs Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 and REACH Annex XVII. This field is changing rapidly: the restricted compound list and thresholds are being updated, and extensive PFAS restriction studies are ongoing. The current limit to be applied to your product is confirmed from the legislation text at the proposal stage.
Evaluation of Results
A PFAS compound that is not on the target list will not appear in the targeted analysis. Screening for total organic fluoride may indicate the presence of a fluorinated substance not on the target list, but does not tell which compound; The two approaches complement each other.
PFAS Report
- Sample description and finishing information
- Applied method and target compound list
- Result and detection limit for each compound
- Varsa toplam organik flor sonucu
- Comparing legislation limit and source
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation (EU) 2019/1021
- (EC) 1907/2006 REACH Annex XVII
Food Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the PFAS test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Food testing shows that a product is safe for consumption and contains what its label states. The family works along three axes: microbiological safety, chemical safety and nutritional composition. All three require different laboratory infrastructure, a different body of methods and a different turnaround time.
The most distinctive feature of the field is TIME PRESSURE. A steel specimen can wait on a shelf; a raw milk or fresh meat sample cannot. The time the sample was taken, the transport temperature and how long it takes to reach the laboratory directly determine the validity of the result. In food microbiology the cold chain record is therefore an inseparable part of the test report.
On the microbiological side there are two different questions and they must not be confused. DETECTION of a pathogen is a qualitative question: is Salmonella present in the sample or not? ENUMERATION of indicator organisms is a quantitative question and an indicator of production hygiene. The absence of a pathogen in a product does not show that hygiene is good; if the total mesophilic aerobic count is high, there is a problem in the process.
On the chemical side, pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, additives, veterinary drug residues and process contaminants (acrylamide, furan, PAH) are measured. Multi-residue methods in this area (QuEChERS-based LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) can screen hundreds of active substances in a single analysis; limits are defined separately for each product–substance pair.
On the composition side, protein, fat, moisture, ash, fibre, sugar profile, fatty acid composition, vitamin and mineral content are determined. These values are the basis of the nutrition declaration on the label and the tolerance ranges are defined in legislation — the difference between the declared value and the measured value must stay within that tolerance.
There is NO CE marking on food, and this shapes how the field works. Conformity is demonstrated through operating a HACCP-based food safety system, complying with labelling rules and not exceeding contaminant, residue and microbiological limits. A test result produces evidence not for a certificate but for a functioning system.
Allergen management carries particular weight. The presence of an undeclared allergen in a product is one of the most frequent causes of food recalls. Analysis here runs together with cleaning validation: it is shown that the line has been cleaned adequately after a production run containing an allergen and that the risk of cross-contamination is under control.
Voluntary schemes have become effectively mandatory in this field. Retail chains require their suppliers to hold a certificate under a GFSI-recognised scheme (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000); without it, getting onto the shelf is practically impossible.
Method groups in this field
Pathogen detection
Detection of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Cronobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; culture-based and molecular methods.
Indicator counts
Total mesophilic aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and E. coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeasts and moulds, lactic acid bacteria, sulphite-reducing Clostridia.
Pesticide and veterinary residues
Multi-residue screening by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS with QuEChERS extraction.
Mycotoxins and contaminants
Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, patulin; heavy metals (ICP-MS), acrylamide and PAH compounds.
Nutritional composition
Kjeldahl protein, fat and fatty acid profile, moisture, ash, dietary fibre, sugar profile, vitamin and mineral analyses.
Allergens and authenticity
Gluten, milk, egg, nut and soy allergen analyses; molecular methods for species identification and adulteration detection.
Commonly confused in this field
- Sampling is half the result. A sample transported at the wrong temperature or delayed gives an invalid result even if it is analysed correctly in the laboratory.
- The absence of a pathogen does not show that hygiene is good; indicator counts give separate information and the two are read together.
- A result from a sample taken from a lot can be generalised to the whole lot only if the sampling plan was set up statistically.
- Limits are defined in separate regulations by product group and are updated regularly; a conformity decision based on an outdated limit table may be wrong.
- For exports, the limits of the destination country may differ from EU limits; the same product may be compliant in one market and non-compliant in another.
Which decisions these results support
- Verification of the HACCP plan and process monitoring
- The basis for the nutrition declaration and allergen information on the label
- Health certificates before export and compliance with destination market limits
- Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
- Shelf-life studies and determining storage conditions
- Producing evidence for audits under GFSI-recognised schemes
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About PFAS
We use a PFAS-free finish, is testing still required?
Most buyers require the declaration with documentation. Additionally, cross-contamination may occur if a fluoride finish has been used previously on the production line; The declaration and the measurement result do not always coincide.
Does total fluoride measurement replace PFAS analysis?
It doesn't pass. Total organic fluorine indicates the presence of a fluorinated substance, but does not tell which compound it is and whether it falls within the regulatory limit. Regulatory compliance is demonstrated by targeted LC-MS/MS.