Influence of Talc in Polypropylene on Total Fluorine Measurements Used as an Indicator of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Total fluorine is a common regulatory compliance technique as an indicator of PFAS. Talc is a common plastic filler that contains fluorine as a contaminant. The fluorine in talc contributes to the total fluorine signal, which can falsely elevate the total fluorine signal, potentially resulting in the lack of regulatory compliance. The developed method serves as a framework of how to identify the fluorine contribution of inorganic fillers in plastics.