What are they thinking?
University of Notre Dame
In
a study published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters,
scientists at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana University, the University
of Toronto and the Green Science Policy Institute analyzed a variety of
children's textiles. Fluorine was detected in 65 percent of samples tested.
But
concentrations were highest in school uniforms -- and higher in those uniforms
labeled as 100 percent cotton as opposed to synthetics.
"What was surprising about this group of samples was the high detection frequency of PFAS in the garments required for children to wear," said Graham Peaslee, professor of physics at Notre Dame and a co-author of the study. "Children are a vulnerable population when it comes to chemicals of concern, and nobody knows these textiles are being treated with PFAS and other toxic chemicals."
An
estimated 20 percent of public schools in the United States require students to
wear uniforms -- meaning millions of children could be at risk of exposure to
the toxic compounds.
Known
as "forever chemicals," PFAS are known to accumulate in the
bloodstream and have been linked to an increased risk of several health
problems including weakened immune systems, asthma, obesity, and
neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems. The National Health and Nutrition
Examination Surveys from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
routinely find PFAS in blood samples of children between the ages of 3 and 11.
Clothing
treated with PFAS presents multiple routes for direct exposure -- through skin
contact, inhalation or ingestion.
This
study included a total of 72 product samples purchased online in U.S. and
Canadian markets in 2020 and 2021. Researchers focused on products labeled as
water or stain resistant, windproof or wrinkle resistant. Items tested in
addition to the uniforms include outerwear such as rain suits, snowsuits and
mittens; accessories such as bibs, hats and baby shoes; and sweatshirts,
swimwear and stroller covers.
Additional
research is needed to better understand concentrations over 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 said.
"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."
The
purchased items were all initially screened at Notre Dame using
particle-induced gamma ray emission (PIGE) spectroscopy, a novel method
developed by Peaslee for accurate and efficient testing for the presence of
fluorine.
Using
the PIGE method, Peaslee's lab has detected PFAS in cosmetics, fast food
wrappers, face masks, firefighting gear and drinking water.
The Environmental Protection Agency has moved to have forever chemicals officially classified as hazardous -- but the study is a reminder of the continued use of PFAS and PFOAS in consumer and industrial goods and their persistence in the environment.