TemaNord 2013:542 TemaNord Ved Stranden 18 DK-1061 Copenhagen K www.norden.org Per- and polyfluorinated substances in the Nordic Countries Per- and polyfluorinated substances Use, occurence and toxicology in the Nordic Countries This Tema Nord report presents a study based on open information and custom market research to review the most common perfluorinated substances (PFC) with less focus on PFOS and PFOA. The study includes three major parts: 1. Identification of relevant per-and polyfluorinated substances and their use in various industrial sectors in the Nordic market by interviews with major players and database information 2. Emissions to and occurence in the Nordic environment of the sub- stances described in 1) 3. A summary of knowledge of the toxic effects on humans and the environment of substances prioritized in 2) There is a lack of physical chemical data, analystical reference substan- ces, human and environmental occurrence and toxicology data, as well as market information regarding PFCs other than PFOA and PFOS and the current legislation cannot enforce disclosure of specific PFC sub- stance information. TemaNord 2013:542 ISBN 978-92-893-2562-2 TN2013542 omslag.indd 1 27-05-2013 14:06:47 Per- and polyfluorinated substances in the Nordic Countries Use, occurence and toxicology Stefan Posner and Sandra Roos at Swerea IVF. Pia Brunn Poulsen at FORCE Technology. Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdottir and Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir at Matís ohf/Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D. Xenia Trier at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Allan Astrup Jensen at Nordic Institute of Product Sustainability, Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology (NIPSECT). Athanasios A. Katsogiannis and Dorte Herzke at NILU (Norwegian Institute for Air Reasearch). Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jörgensen at the Univer- sity of Aarhus. Christina Jönsson at Swerea IVF. Gitte Alsing Pedersen, DTU. Mandana Ghisari, University of Århus. Sophie Jensen, Matis TemaNord 2013:542 Per- and polyfluorinated substances in the Nordic Countries Use, occurence and toxicology Stefan Posner and Sandra Roos at Swerea IVF. Pia Brunn Poulsen at FORCE Technology. Hrönn Ólína Jörundsdottir and Helga Gunnlaugsdóttir at Matís ohf/Icelandic Food and Biotech R&D. Xenia Trier at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Allan Astrup Jensen at Nordic Institute of Product Sustainability, Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology (NIPSECT). Athanasios A. Katsogiannis and Dorte Herzke at NILU (Norwegian Institute for Air Reasearch). Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jörgensen at the University of Aarhus. Christina Jönsson at Swerea IVF. Gitte Alsing Pedersen, DTU. Mandana Ghisari, University of Århus. Sophie Jensen, Matis ISBN 978-92-893-2562-2 http://dx.doi.org/10.6027/TN2013-542 TemaNord 2013:542 © Nordic Council of Ministers 2013 Layout: Hanne Lebech Cover photo: KLIF This publication has been published with financial support by the Nordic Council of Ministers. However, the contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views, policies or recom- mendations of the Nordic Council of Ministers. www.norden.org/en/publications Nordic co-operation Nordic co-operation is one of the world’s most extensive forms of regional collaboration, involv- ing Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Nordic co-operation has firm traditions in politics, the economy, and culture. It plays an im- portant role in European and international collaboration, and aims at creating a strong Nordic community in a strong Europe. Nordic co-operation seeks to safeguard Nordic and regional interests and principles in the global community. Common Nordic values help the region solidify its position as one of the world’s most innovative and competitive. Nordic Council of Ministers Ved Stranden 18 DK-1061 Copenhagen K Phone (+45) 3396 0200 www.norden.org Content Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 7 1. Background ....................................................................................................................................... 9 2. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 11 3. Introduction to fluoro-chemistry ........................................................................................... 13 3.1 Production of fluoro-chemicals ................................................................................. 14 4. Methodology and limitations ................................................................................................... 19 4.1 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 19 4.2 Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 20 5. Mapping of use of per- and polyfluorinated substances on the Nordic market .............................................................................................................................................. 21 5.1 “Net list” of PFCs in use on the Nordic market ..................................................... 21 5.2 Contacts to producers, suppliers, users and other players on the PFC market ........................................................................................................................ 24 5.3 Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 25 6. Mapping of uses and applications of PFCs on the Nordic market .............................. 27 6.1 Aviation hydraulic fluids .............................................................................................. 27 6.2 Fire fighting foams ......................................................................................................... 29 6.3 Pesticides ........................................................................................................................... 32 6.4 Metal plating (hard metal plating and decorative plating)........................ 33 6.5 Electronic equipment and components.................................................................. 36 6.6 Chemically driven oil and mining production ...................................................... 37 6.7 Carpets, leather and apparel, textiles and upholstery....................................... 38 6.8 Paper and packaging ..................................................................................................... 39 6.9 Coating and coating additives .................................................................................... 40 6.10 Others ................................................................................................................................. 42 6.11 Other important market information for the Nordic market ......................... 43 6.12 Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 43 6.13 Future work ...................................................................................................................... 45 7. Occurrence of per- and polyfluorinated substances ....................................................... 47 7.1 Emissions to and occurrence of PFCs into the environment .......................... 47 7.2 Sources of exposure of PFCs to humans ................................................................. 63 7.3 Occurrence of PFCs in humans .................................................................................. 78 7.4 Suggested priority list of substances ..................................................................... 103 7.5 Overall conclusion for the human biomonitoring data on PFCA, PFSA and other PFC telomers .................................................................................. 103 7.6 Future work .................................................................................................................... 104 8. Human health effects and related animal toxicity of per- and polyfluorinated substances .................................................................................................... 105 8.1 PFCA (Perfluoroalkyl carboxylates) ...................................................................... 105 8.2 PFSA (Perfluoroalkyl sulfonates) ........................................................................... 123 8.3 FTOH (fluorotelomer alcohols) ............................................................................... 131 8.4 FTS (fluorotelomer sulfonates). .............................................................................. 133 8.5 PAP/di-PAP (polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters) .............................................. 133 8.6 Perfluoropolyethers (PEFPs) ................................................................................... 134 8.7 Summary ......................................................................................................................... 135 9. Environmental effects of per- and polyfluorinated substances ............................... 147 9.1 Perfluoro carboxylates (PFCAs) .............................................................................. 148 9.2 Perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) ......................................................................... 149 9.3 FTOHs ..............................................................................................................................