What are PFAS? Understanding PFAS in Swagelok Products

Expert Insights on PFAS in Swagelok Products: Making Informed Material Choices

If you’ve been following news about industrial materials or environmental regulations, you’ve likely heard the term “PFAS” mentioned with growing frequency. But what exactly are PFAS, and why are they drawing so much attention? 

As principal materials engineer at Swagelok, I’m here to help demystify PFAS, explain their role in our products, and guide you in making informed choices for your applications. 

What are PFAS and why do they matter?

PFAS is the acronym for “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.” This is a large family of thousands of substances that contain the element fluorine. The unique characteristics of fluorine (i.e., small atomic radius, extreme electronegativity) are responsible for the formation of substances such as gases, chemicals, and polymers having remarkable properties. These properties include unusual stability, extreme heat and chemical resistance, water repelling, oil repelling, and low friction making fluorinated substances useful in a wide range of applications. Fluorinated substances are used in nearly all industries including electronics, semiconductors, textiles, apparel, automotive, aerospace, defense, firefighting foams, oil & gas, construction, food packaging, medical, pharmaceutical, energy, and waste management.

Why are PFAS under scrutiny?

Select fluorinated chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA), have been linked to health hazards either due to toxicity or bioaccumulation. Globally, several contaminated sites have been identified. These contaminated sites are primarily located near industrial and waste management sites or near military sites and airports where PFOS is used in firefighting foams. Today, these select chemicals are either banned from use or heavily restricted in drinking water in nearly all industrial countries. Although these select chemicals are already banned or restricted, there is a concern that similar fluorinated chemicals could be synthesized that would also pose a health risk.

Are there other concerns surrounding PFAS?

Yes, since fluorinated substances are stable (meaning that they do not break down easily) there is a concern that fluorinated substances will accumulate in the environment. This is why fluorinated substances are sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals.” Innovative methods to break down fluorinated substances using biological methods that utilize microbes and enzymes to break down these materials, photocatalysis and other forward-thinking approaches are being researched to ensure safe, sustainable and cost-effective methods to address this concern.

Responsible Manufacturing

In addition to managing the end of life of fluorinated substances, all major European manufacturers of fluorinated substances, including AGC Chemicals, Arkema, The Chemours Company LLC, Daikin, Syensqo SA, and W. L. Gore & Associates , have voluntarily committed to a responsible manufacturing program that aims to reduce the emissions of non-polymeric fluorinated substances to 0.003% to air and 0.0006% to water by the end of 2030. Due to advancements in polymerization aid technology, these manufacturers have already achieved the first milestone of emission reductions of 0.009% in air and 0.001% in water. You can learn more about the commitment to responsible manufacturing by following the Fluoropolymers Product Group of Plastics Europe (https://fluoropolymers.eu).

The American Chemistry Council also administers an organization, Performance Fluoropolymer Partnership (PFP), that has the mission to promote the responsible production, use, and management of fluoropolymers, while also advocating for a sound science- and risk-based approach to regulation. Members of PFP include 3M, AGC Inc., The Chemours Company LLC, Daikin America, Inc., Groupe SEB, Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited, Honeywell, MilliporeSigma, Shamrock Technologies, Sherwin-Williams, Syensqo, T-Lon Products Inc., Teadit, W.L. Gore & Associates, and Zeus Company Inc. PFP’s website (https://fluoropolymerpartnership.com) has a wealth of information regarding fluoropolymers and their socioeconomic importance, fluoropolymer uses, and safety & regulations.

Is the use of fluorinated substances always necessary?

No, although fluorinated substances offer advanced performance, you may want to consider the difference between essential and non-essential uses. For many demanding applications, especially those requiring resistance to high temperature and aggressive chemicals, there simply is no acceptable alternative. Non-critical (non-essential) applications that do not require the unique properties of fluorinated substances provide opportunities to consider alternatives. Alternatives are already being adopted for non-essential uses such as ski wax and baking paper.

PFAS in Swagelok products: What you need to know

Swagelok does not use any of the currently banned or restricted fluorochemicals (perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA)) in its products. Fluoropolymers are very different than fluorochemicals. Science-based evidence indicates that fluoropolymers are non-toxic, non-mobile, and non-bioavailable. Fluoropolymers are essential for demanding industrial applications where employee and environmental safety or system performance is critical. To meet these needs, many of Swagelok’s products use fluoropolymers in soft seals and seats because they enable high temperature and chemical resistance. For customer systems with demanding environments, these properties are critical for safety and performance.

Watch Marcy clarify concerns about PFAS in Swagelok products.

Options for Customers Who Want PFAS Alternatives

We understand that some customers may prefer products without PFAS, especially if their systems do not require high temperature ratings or extreme chemical resistance. Swagelok offers alternative materials for soft seats and seals that do not contain PFAS. Elastomer materials that are not fluorinated include nitrile (i.e. buna-N), ethylene propylene (i.e. EPR, EPDM), polychloroprene (i.e. Neoprene), and silicone. Common seat materials that do not contain fluorine are PEEK, polyimide, and UHMWPE. Swagelok’s customers with less aggressive system media and moderate temperature requirements may find that these options are suitable. For more details and examples of PFAS-free Swagelok product options, please visit Swagelok’s PFAS quick reference guide.

Which fluoropolymers are used in Swagelok products?

Fluoropolymers such as FKM, FFKM, PTFE, PFA and PCTFE are key to Swagelok’s product performance. These materials are the standard seat and seal materials in many of Swagelok’s products because they enable a high temperature rating of 400 °F (204 °C). Without these materials, the high temperature product ratings would drop to nearly half of this temperature rating. These fluoropolymers also provide elevated chemical resistance to a wide range of aggressive chemicals including acids such as hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, solvents such as toluene and benzene and many other chemicals that are too aggressive for non-fluorinated materials. For customers who need these capabilities, fluoropolymers are often the best, and sometimes the only choice.

How Swagelok Can Help You Select the Right Product

Choosing the right product for your application can be complex, especially when considering factors like chemical resistance, temperature ratings, and regulatory requirements. That’s where Swagelok’s expertise comes in. Our team of materials engineers and product specialists are ready to help you understand which PFAS materials are used in our products and guide you toward the safest, most effective solutions for your needs.

If you have questions or concerns about PFAS in Swagelok products, we encourage you to contact us. Our experts can help you navigate product selection and ensure you have the information you need to make confident decisions.

Marcy McQuary

Principal Materials Engineer, Swagelok