PFAS Screening
Galbraith Laboratories provides PFAS screening services. We have many years of experience working with numerous partners to rapidly screen a wide variety of materials.
PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are used in many applications including non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, water-repelling clothing, and food packaging surfaces. PFAS compounds are of high interest from an environmental toxicity perspective because they do not degrade easily and therefore accumulate. Multiple studies have been conducted and are underway to understand their impact on human health. One University of Michigan School of Public Health report found PFAS in the blood of 95% of Americans1.
Galbraith provides a quick and economical way to screen just about any type of material for the presence of potential PFAS. We screen for PFAS using elemental fluorine as a marker. If a material contains no fluorine, it contains no PFAS. If fluorine is detected, it indicates the potential presence of PFAS.
Galbraith utilizes an oxygen combustion technique to liberate the fluorine atom and an ion-selective electrode to detect it.
The use of other analytical techniques such as FTIR and fluoride ion measurements are often utilized to provide additional evidence of PFAS content.
Here are some links to recent campaigns that were supported by work from Galbraith.
Center for Environmental Health
Consumer Reports and The Guardian
For more information regarding PFAS testing, contact us at 877.449.8797 or Request a Quote.
1 Lewis RC, Johns LE, Meeker JD. 2015. Serum Biomarkers of Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Relation to Serum Testosterone and Measures of Thyroid Function among Adults and Adolescents from NHANES 2011–2012. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 12(6): 6098–6114.