Fluoropolymers have become an integral part of modern society, both in industrial and consumer applications.
Fluoropolymers have become an integral part of modern society, both in industrial and consumer applications. When these high-performance materials reach the end of their useful life, they can end up in both industrial and household waste. Working with international partners, researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) analyzed the contribution of waste incineration of fluoropolymers to the release of low-molecular, non-polymeric fluorinated compounds. Their experiments with the BRENDA incineration facility at KIT showed nearly complete destruction of fluoropolymers in combustion at the temperatures and residence times typical of European incinerators. The study has been published in the journal Chemosphere. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143403.
In contrast to fluoropolymers, which are also referred to as “polymeric PFAS” and are considered to be non-mobile and non-bioaccumulative, used e.g. in medical products, semiconductors, aerospace, automotive and chemical processing, “low-molecular PFAS” are integrated in a wide range of dispersive consumer applications. They are found, for instance, as water-repellent impregnation in textiles, garments, paper (pizza boxes, burger boxes, baking backpaper). The PFAS substance group includes approx. 10,000 substances, whereby the fluoropolymers only represent a small subgroup of 38 substances.
Some of the low molecular weight PFAS are harmful to health and have been linked to organ damage and cancer. Low molecular weight PFAS accumulate in groundwater and soil, leading to environmental problems in many locations and can affect the health of the population whereas fluoropolymers have very large molecular weight and therefore they are considered safe for the health & environment.
Read more at Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Image: In the BRENDA incineration facility at KIT, researchers tested whether and to what extent PFASs are released into the environment by waste incineration. (Credit: KIT)
