PN TOF
Context
Water and oil repellency are key functional properties in many textile applications, such as protective clothing, interior furnishings, and technical textiles. These features not only make maintenance easier for consumers but also reduce environmental impact by lowering the need for detergents.
For many years, fluorocarbons were widely used to achieve these effects in textiles and leather. However, due to growing concerns about their environmental and health risks, and under pressure from environmental organizations, legislation has become increasingly strict. As a result, water- and oil-repellent textiles must now be fluorocarbon-free. While several alternatives exist—especially for water repellency—most do not meet the high-performance standards required for oil repellency. Many PFAS compounds are already regulated under REACH, OEKO-TEX® criteria, and various Restricted Substances Lists (RSLs).
Targeted PFAS analysis is used to quantify specific compounds, especially when comparing against regulatory thresholds. However, this requires the availability of reference standards. Currently, laboratories can quantify around 40 PFAS compounds, with this number growing as more standards become available.
A European standard for PFAS determination was recently published by CEN/TC248/WG26. While this is a step forward, thousands of PFAS compounds remain unregulated despite having similar environmental and health impacts. This has led to a broader push toward a perfluorinated compound (PFC)-free environment.
OEKO-TEX® will begin phasing out PFCs using a total organic fluorine (TOF) threshold of 10 mg/kg. California legislation will enforce a 100 mg/kg TOF limit from January 1, 2025, while REACH sets the limit at 50 mg/kg.
An alternative approach is to measure total fluorine content—either total fluorine (TF), extractable organic fluorine (EOF), or adsorbable organic fluorine (AOF). These methods can detect both PFAS and non-PFAS fluorinated compounds, including those for which no reference standards exist.
Objective
This pre-normative research aims to develop analytical methods for determining total organic fluorine (TOF) in textiles using combustion ion chromatography (CIC). This technique, new to textile analysis, combines combustion and ion chromatography in a single system, enabling efficient, automated analysis of solid, liquid, and even gaseous samples.
The project will focus on developing a simple yet effective sample preparation method (extraction and purification) compatible with CIC, allowing accurate TOF determination across a wide concentration range. The research will initially target samples containing only fluorine, with future work planned for samples containing multiple halogens.
The project will actively contribute to standardization efforts within CEN/TC 248 WG 26 and support the development of an international standard. It targets the textile industry in Belgium, particularly SMEs producing water- and oil-repellent textiles and the formulators who supply them. Functionalizing textiles adds economic value, and reliable measurement methods are essential for developing sustainable, high-quality alternatives.
