Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widely utilized manmade chemicals. Their properties have made them highly appreciated in a variety of industrial and consumer product applications, including fire-fighting foams, hydraulic fluids, as well as in cookware and food contact papers. However, some of the PFASs are highly persistent in the environment and their toxicological profiles are of concern. Voluntary and regulatory efforts have been taken to reduce the environmental levels of PFASs. These actions have resulted in a reduction of PFASs in human milk from Stockholm as presented in this thesis. The radiosyntheses of 35S-PFOS, 35S-PFBS, and 14C-PFOA presented herein were applied for distribution studies in mice but also for solubility and adhesion experiments of common laboratory solvents and buffers. The radiosynthesis employed reactive Grignard reagents, perfluoroalkyliodides, and 35S-sulfur dioxide or 14C-carbon dioxide. The distribution studies were performed with 35S-PFOS on both pregnant mice and their offspring as well as on male mice. The mice were subjected to whole-body autoradiography and the tissues were analyzed by liquid scintillation counting. Liver and lungs were the target organs for 35S-PFOS in the dams. The fetuses and pups had remarkable high levels of 35S-PFOS in their lungs as well as in the brain. The male mice were given a high dose and a more environmental relevant dose of 35S-PFOS. PFOS was transferred from the blood to the tissues as the dose increased. In another study the distribution pattern of the shorter homologue PFBS was compared to PFOS. 35S-PFBS was utilized and demonstrated a 5-40 fold lower tissue levels in comparison to PFOS. The pharmacokinetic parameters determined for PFHxS in mice, rats, and monkeys will provide valuable insight in establishing a proper risk assessment for this compound. The study confirms the common species differences in serum elimination half-life that are associated with PFASs. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 6: Manuscript.</p>

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are man-made chemicals. Their unique properties make them beneficial for a wide range of industrial and consumer applications, such as constituents in fire fighting foams, hydraulic oils and food packaging materials.PFAAs have shown to be highly persistent in the environment, and the toxicological potential of long chain PFAA homologues is of a concern. International regulation and voluntary actions by the industry have been implemented and led to reduced primary emissions of PFAAs to the environment. However, the concentrations of some PFAAs in e.g. birds from the Baltic Sea are still very high and of ecotoxicological concern. Measures to reduce the PFAA contamination require an understanding of the sources and how the PFAAs are being transported in the environment.In this licentiate thesis a mass balance was assembled for perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in the Baltic Sea. A one-box model was used including the input pathways river inflow, atmospheric deposition, wastewater discharges and inflow from the North Sea via the Danish Straits, while the loss processes considered were sediment burial, transformation of the chemicals and outflow to the North Sea via the Danish Straits. Additionally, the inventories of the four target PFAAs in the Baltic Sea were estimated. Both chemical fluxes and inventories were estimated using recently published monitoring data (2005-2010).In order to obtain a detailed perspective on the current knowledge regarding PFAAs in the Baltic Sea, challenges and uncertainties in data selection were discussed for the most dominant input pathways. This included WWTP emissions and calculation of emission factors (EFs), atmospheric deposition and riverine inflow.River inflow and atmospheric deposition were the dominant inputs, while wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents made a minor contribution. The input to the Baltic Sea exceeded the output for all 4 PFAAs, suggesting that inputs were higher during 2005-2010 than during the previous 20 years despite efforts to reduce emissions of PFAAs. Comparing the difference between PFAA input and output with the PFAA inventory, the doubling time for the concentration in the Baltic Sea was estimated to be 8-94 yr for PFHxA, 12-16 yr for PFOA, 3-5 yr for PFDA and 4 yr for PFOS. The surplus of the input can be an effect of retention and delayed release of PFAAs from atmospheric deposition in the soils and groundwater of the watershed.The licentiate thesis contributes to a holistic understanding of the major input and output pathways and inventories of PFAAs in the Baltic Sea. Furthermore, it points out current knowledge gaps in our understanding of sources and fate of PFAAs in the aquatic environment. / <p>At the time of the defence the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Manuscript</p>

PFAS is a relatively new group of contaminants with unique characteristics, which in the early 21st century was understood being dangerous for both humans and the environment. In 2008, EFSA published a report on guidelines for human intake of PFAS. Target and limit values for ground and surface water around the world has been based on the information in the EFSA report. In the end of 2018, EFSA published a new preliminary report with new target values for PFAS, well below the target values published in 2008. Frösö Park in Östersund, Sweden, is polluted by PFAS from the time that the Swedish Armed Forces were active in the area. While the Swedish Armed Forces exercised their activities at Frösö Park, large amounts of aqueous fire-fighting foams were used, mainly for training purposes. AFFF at that time contained a mixture of many highly fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS, a collective name of more than 4,700 chemicals consisting of carbon-fluorine bonds. PFAS are, more or less, persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. This study focuses on PFAS11, which Sweden has target and limit values for in respect of ground water and surface water (lake and sea). PFOS is the most common PFAS chemical and the most commonly occurring PFAS chemical at the Frösö Park area. Today, there is a combined urban runoff and waste water network at the Frösö Park area. The internal water conduit system is currently being examined in order to, eventually, disconnect the urban runoff from the waste water network in order to instead release the urban runoff to Storsjön in the immediate area. As the urban runoff has high levels of PFAS, it must be purified before it is discharged to the recipient. High levels of PFAS has been found in the sewage treatment plant. The sewage treatment plant is not able to purify the water from PFAS, which means that the pollution is discharged into Östersund’s drinking water source, Storsjön. The Municipality of Östersund wanted this thesis as the study will include newsworthy information and provide the municipality more knowledge about the PFAS issues in the Frösö Park area. The aim of this thesis is to examine how the urban runoff from the Frösö Park area can be handled to prevent PFAS leaking out in Östersund’s drinking water source, Storsjön. The thesis describes in a comprehensive way how different purification methods work and the function of the different methods based on the conditions that exist in the Frösö Park area. The purification methods for urban runoff are sedimentation methods, biofilters, and how additives with chemicals can affect the purification of urban runoff. After the urban runoff purification, the purification steps focused on PFAS are sorption methods, chemical redox methods, membrane methods and excavation methods. Based on previous reports for the Frösö Park area, existing data has been compiled into maps, figures and diagrams in order to clearly describe the current PFAS situation. The scientific literature presented herein has been selected by specific keywords in databases. The literature has been supplemented with materials provided by the municipality, tips from researchers and personal contact with other industry-related actors. In the purification steps focused on purifying particles, organic materials and metals in urban runoff, a barrier that restricts the flow of water is proposed, tentatively a dam, wetland or lamellar sedimentation, followed by sand filtration. A large advantage with a barrier restricting the flow of water is the possibility to control the water flow to the next purification step. In the purification steps focused on purifying the water from PFAS, purification with activated carbon, nanofiltration, ion exchange method or sonochemical oxidation are proposed. The purification methods are proposed because of the existing knowledge of the methods and the pollution situation for the Frösö Park area. The research for PFAS with new purification methods, target and limit values for humans and the nature as well as future costs for decontamination and health-related costs means that PFAS currently is a priority contaminant taken seriously. Advantages and disadvantages of the purification methods are presented herein, however, the issues with PFAS are very complex and the purification methods work differently depending on the conditions they are exposed to. In this thesis, the most interesting new information regarding PFAS has been compiled to show the current knowledge situation in order to facilitate for relevant actors to continue their work with the PFAS issues in the future.

PFAS are a group of relatively newly discovered man-made pollutants. PFAS contains a C-F bond which is one of the strongest bonds in organic chemistry. Therefore, PFAS are not easily degradable and, once release into nature, are very persistent. PFAS are also labile in natural environments and therefore, they can sometimes be found far from the source of pollution. Their persistent and labile nature, in combination with their bioaccumulation ability and human health effects make of this compounds an important contaminant to take care of. Currently there are not stablish, wellfunctioning methods to treat contaminated soils and waters. A lot of research is performed at the moment to find good treatment options. In this work a test to chemically degraded spiked samples of PFOA, PFOS and PFBA was performed. By means of experimental design tools, we aim to evaluate which operational factors are relevant for this treatment. Best results when using hydrogen peroxide as a reactant was 70% degradation for PFOS and 42% degradation for PFOA. When persulfate was used as a reactant, a 57% degradation of PFOS, 99% degradation of PFOA and 99% degradation of PFBA was achieved.

No description available.

Effective adsorbents for polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were obtained and successfully tested in adsorption of perfluorooctanoic and perfluorooctanesulfonic acids. Bridged silsesquioxanes containing secondary and tertiary amino groups were synthesized by sol-gel condensation of bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine and N-methyl-3,3′-bis(trimethoxysilyl)dipropylamine in acidic media in the presence of surfactants. Obtained materials were mesoporous with high BET surface area. They combine high structural stability with high concentration of surface amino groups serving as adsorption sites. Batch adsorption tests demonstrated their high adsorption capacity on PFCs: in some experiments it reached up to 88% of the adsorbent weight. Adsorption of PFCs changed the surfaces of the adsorbent nanoparticles from hydrophilic to hydrophobic thus providing their agglomeration and floatability. Column tests showed fast adsorption of PFCs even at high concentrations and high flow rates. Obtained results can be used in the development of an effective filtration device for clean-up of water contaminated by PFCs.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of emerging chemicals which havereceived increasing attention due to their toxicity, persistent properties, and global distribution.In this study, sorption coefficients (Kd and KOC) of PFASs in an industrial site in Sweden wereevaluated. Sorption is a measures of the mobility of a substance in the subsurface, and is a keyfactor in environmental risk assessments. Sorption coefficients were calculated both from fieldsamples processed in laboratory batch tests, and from a simplified approach involving the totalconcentrations in soil and groundwater (field-derived). Soil was sampled from two locations ofthe site; C8 and M6. Field-derived values were calculated based on concentrations which werehistorically measured. The aim was to compare the two methods, and to compare the valueswith literature values as well as guideline sorption values established by the SwedishGeotechnical Institute (SGI). Sorption coefficients for PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFHxS, PFOS, 6:2 FTS and PFBS could beestablished. Results showed that laboratory-derived sorption coefficients were significantlyhigher than field-derived sorption coefficients. Laboratory-derived sorption values were alsohigher than to SGI’s preliminary sorption values. Comparing C8 and M6 KOC values toliterature values, PFHpA, PFHxA, and PFBS exhibit values above literature values. PFOA,PFHxS, PFOS exhibit KOC values within the range of literature values. According to thesorption coefficients, predictive scenarios of leaching through the unsaturated zone weremodelled, and it was concluded that leaching was higher in M6 compared to C8. The resultsalso showed that an increase in precipitation increased the leaching. / Per- och polyfluorerade alkylsubstanser (PFAS) är en grupp nyligen uppkomna kemikalier somhar fått ökad uppmärksamhet pga. deras toxicitet, ihärdiga egenskaper och globala utbredning.Detta examensarbete har studerat fördelningskoefficienter (Kd och KOC) för PFAS inom ettindustriområde i Sverige. Fördelningskoefficienter är ett mått på mobilitet av en substans iunderjorden, och det är en viktig komponent i riskbedömningar inom förorenad mark.Fördelningskoefficienter beräknades dels utifrån jordprover som tagits i fält och analyserats ilaboratorium med extraktionsmetoder, och dels utifrån ett förenklat tillvägagångssätt därberäkning skett med hjälp av tidigare uppmätta koncentrationer i jord och grundvatten.Jordprover från två områden inom industriområdet; C8 och M6, togs och analyserades.Fältbaserade fördelningskoefficienter beräknades utifrån koncentrationer som tidigare mättsvid brunnsinstallation och vid grundvattenövervakning. Målet med studien var att jämföra detvå metoderna, och dessutom jämföra fördelningskoefficienterna med motsvarande i värdenlitteraturen samt riktvärden för fördelningskoefficienter som Statens Geotekniska Institutet(SGI) arbetet fram. Fördelningskoefficienter för PFHxA, PFHpA, PFOA, PFHxS, PFOS, 6:2 FTS and PFBS kundeberäknas. Resultatet visade att laboratorie-baserade fördelningskoefficienter var betydligthögre än fältbaserade fördelningskoefficienter. Laboratorie-baserade fördelningskoefficientervar även högre än de preliminära riktvärden för fördelningskoefficienter som SGI etablerat. Vidjämförelse av fördelningskoefficienter för C8 och M6 kunde det konstateras att PFHpA,PFHxA, and PFBS hade högre värden än motsvarande i litteraturen. PFOA, PFHxS, PFOSvisade på värden som var inom intervallet av värdena från litteraturen. Med hjälp av deberäknade fördelningskoefficienterna modellerades prediktiva utlaknings-scenarier. Utifrånresultatet sker utlakningen i större grad i M6 jämfört med C8. Utlakningen ökade även vidförhöjd nederbörd.

Per- och Polyfluorerade alkylsubstanser (PFAS) är syntetiskt framställda organiska föreningar som har använts i stor utsträckning i konsument- och industriprodukter. PFAS-substanser besitter attraktiva egenskaper såsom resistans mot väta, fett, fläckar och är dessutom värmetåliga. De används i bland annat brandskum, smink, vattentäta kläder med ”andas-funktion”, möbler och non- stickstekpannor. Den senaste forskningen har dock visat att PFAS utgör en fara för levande organismer och miljön. Vissa PFAS-substanser har klassats som persistenta, bioackumulativa och toxisk (PBT), samt väldigt persistenta och väldigt bioaccumulativa (vPvB).Existerande forskning har fokuserat på beteendet hos PFAS i olika miljöer. Dock finns det en kunskapslucka när det gäller hur dessa PFAS-substanser beter sig under termiska behandlingsprocesser, samt förbränningsgraden i kommersiella förbränningsanläggningar vid temperaturerna 850–950 °C. I detta projekt undersöks därför nedbrytningsgraden av PFAS genom förbränning samt bildning av potentiellt farliga biprodukter efter förbränning. För att genomföra denna studie skulle förbränning av PFAS-haltigt avloppsslam i en pilotskalig bubblande fluidiserad bädd (BFB) genomföras. På grund av hinder utfördes experimenten i stället i en konventionell och simpel laboratorieugn. Dessutom genomfördes en litteraturstudie för att undersöka bildandet av potentiellt farliga biprodukter efter förbränning av PFAS. Denna studie har visat att termisk behandling genom förbränning är en effektiv metod för att behandla PFAS i avloppsslam med reduktion under kvantifieringsgränserna. Undersökning av potentiellt farliga biprodukter baserat på litteraturstudier har visat att kortkedjiga PFCAs var mest förekommande i aska, vätska och gasformiga rester efter termisk behandling. Några undersökningar tyder på att termisk behandling av PFAS-haltigt material möjligen resulterar i ozonnedbrytande ämnen. Utifrån den genomförde litteraturstudien i detta projekt saknas starka bevis för att kunna påstå att det bildas ozonnedbrytande ämnen under förbränning av PFAS. / Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made organic compound widely used in consumer and industrial products. They exhibit attractive properties such as resistance to water, heat, and grease. Therefore, PFAS are used in fire foam, non-stick pans, water-resistant clothes, make-up, and furniture. Recent studies have revealed that PFAS substances can be harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. Some PFAS substances have, therefore, been classified as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT), and very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB). This means that PFAS resists degradation, accumulates in living organisms and biota, and inherits toxic effects. In previous and current research, the focus has been on the behavior of PFAS in different environmental settings. However, there is a gap in research on how these PFAS substances behave during thermal treatment processes in commercial facilities at temperatures of 850-950 °C and how effective the thermal degradation is. This project investigates the effectivity of thermal degradation via combustion and the fate of PFAS post-combustion, focusing on the formation of potentially hazardous by-products. Therefore, the combustion of PFAS-containing sewage sludge in a bench- scale bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) was to be conducted to fulfill the objective of this study. Due to hindrances, the experiments were performed in a conventional furnace furnace instead. Also, a literature study was conducted to investigate the fate of PFAS after combustion. From this study, it was concluded that thermal treatment via combustion at temperatures 850 and 950 °C is an effective method to degrade PFAS in sewage sludge. Also, the literature study investigation revealed that persistent short-chain PFCAs were most abundant in the ash, liquid, and gaseous residues after thermal treatment. A few investigations indicate that thermal treatment of PFAS-containing matter possibly results in ozone-depleting compounds. Based on the conducted literature study, there is a lack of strong evidence that supports the claim of the formation of ozone- depleting compounds during combustion of PFAS.

Contexte : L’acide perfluorooctanoïque (PFOA) est présent dans le sang de presque tous les participants dans les études de biosurveillance. L’appréciation des risques pour la santé qui sont associés aux concentrations sanguines de PFOA est difficile, car les valeurs guides d'exposition (VGE) sont généralement exprimées en termes de dose externe. Des équivalents de biosurveillance (ÉB) compatibles avec les VGE pourraient faciliter l'interprétation des concentrations de PFOA dans le contexte du risque pour la santé. Objectifs : i) Dériver des ÉB pour le PFOA sérique ou plasmatique correspondant aux VGE de la Environmental Protection Agency des États-Unis (U.S. EPA), de la Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) et de Santé Canada, et ii) comparer les ÉB avec les concentrations de PFOA mesurées dans des enquêtes nationales de biosurveillance. Méthodes : En partant des points de départ à partir desquels les VGE ont été estimées, nous avons dérivé des ÉB à l'aide de données ou modèles pharmacocinétiques et de facteurs d'incertitude. À l'aide d'un modèle pharmacocinétique animal de gestation et de lactation, nous avons converti les points de départ chez les souris gestantes (U.S. EPA 2016, ATSDR) en concentrations sériques chez l’organisme en développement pour quatre mesures de dose (concentrations moyenne prénatale, moyenne postnatale, moyenne totale, et maximale). Les concentrations équivalentes chez le fœtus humain et l’enfant ont ensuite été converties en ÉB correspondants dans le sérum maternel humain au moment de la conception à l'aide d’une modèle pharmacocinétique humain de grossesse et d’allaitement. Le point de départ chez les rongeurs adultes (Santé Canada) a été converti en un ÉB dans le sérum humain adulte à l'aide de données expérimentales. Pour le point de départ basé sur l'épidémiologie (valeur provisoire de 2022 de l’U.S.EPA), un BE a été dérivé à l'aide d'un modèle pharmacocinétique humain de grossesse et d’allaitement. Les BE dérivés ont été comparés à des données de biosurveillance canadiennes et américaines. Résultats : Les ÉB étaient de 684 ng/mL pour Santé Canada, de 0.012 ng/mL pour l’U.S. EPA (valeur provisoire de 2022), et variaient de 15 à 29 ng/mL pour l’U.S. EPA (valeur de 2016) et de 6 à 10 ng/mL pour l’ATSDR. Les 95ème centiles des concentrations sériques dans l'Enquête canadienne sur les mesures de la santé (ECMS) de 2018-2019 et dans la National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) de 2017-2018 étaient légèrement inférieures à l’ÉB de l’ATSDR et deux ordres de grandeur plus élevées que l'ÉB pour la valeur provisoire de 2022 de l’U.S. EPA. Conclusion : Les ÉB couvraient quatre ordres de grandeur. Les concentrations de PFOA mesurés dans des enquêtes nationales de biosurveillance canadiennes et américaines étaient supérieures ou similaires à certains de ces ÉB. / Background: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is detected in the blood of virtually everyone participating in biomonitoring studies. Assessing the health risks associated with blood PFOA levels is challenging because exposure guidance values (EGVs) are typically expressed in terms of external dose. Biomonitoring equivalents (BEs) consistent with EGVs could facilitate interpreting biomarker levels in a health risk context. Objective: To i) derive BEs for serum/plasma PFOA corresponding to the EGVs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and Health Canada, and ii) compare with PFOA levels measured in national biomonitoring surveys. Methods: Starting from the points of departure from which EGVs were estimated, we derived BEs using pharmacokinetic data/models and uncertainty factors. Using an animal gestational/lactational pharmacokinetic model, we converted points of departure in pregnant dams (U.S. EPA 2016, ATSDR) into serum concentrations in the developing organism for four dose metrics: average prenatal, average postnatal, average overall, and maximum concentrations. Equivalent human fetus and child concentrations were then converted into corresponding BEs in maternal serum at time of conception using a pharmacokinetic model of human gestation/lactation. The point of departure in adult rodents (Health Canada) was converted into a BE in adult serum using experimental data. For the epidemiology-based point of departure (U.S.EPA 2022, draft), a BE was derived using a human pharmacokinetic model of gestation/lactation. BEs were compared with Canadian and U.S. biomonitoring data. Results: BEs (ng/mL) were 684 for Health Canada, 0.012 for the U.S. EPA (2022 draft), and ranged from 15-29 for the U.S. EPA (2016) and from 6-10 for ATSDR. Ninety-fifth percentiles of serum levels from the 2018-2019 Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) and the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were slightly below the BE for the ATSDR, and two orders of magnitude above the BE for the U.S. EPA (2022 draft). Conclusion: BEs varied over four orders of magnitude. Levels measured in Canadian and U.S. national surveys were higher than or close to some of these BEs.

Fluorkemi används på varselkläder i syfte för att skydda textilen mot smuts, vatten, fett och olja. Kemikalierna är skadliga för människor och miljö, de är dessutom mycket svårnedbrutna eller så bryts de inte ner överhuvudtaget. Kemikalierna är utvecklade av människor och delas upp i perfluorerade och polyfluorerade ämnen (PFAS). PFAS klassificeras också som PBT-ämnen, vilket står för att de är persistenta, bioackumulerande och toxiska. Studien är utförd i ett samarbete med Tranemo Textil AB, där behovet av fluorkarbonberedning på varselkläder undersökts. Syftet med studien är att undersöka utifrån användning och tvättprocess om fluorkarbonberedning är essentiell på varselkläder. Genom intervjuer med experter och tvätterier har studien fått fram information om fluorkemi och hur tvättprocessen ser ut. Resultatet från intervjuerna har kombinerats med tester på tyger och på ett bärprov med ett byxben med fluorkarbonberedning och ett byxben utan. Bärprovet har testats av en person i dennes dagliga arbete under sex månader. Studien har sammanställt resultatet och kan konstatera att fluorkemin har negativ påverkan på människa och miljö, vilket ligger till grund för en diskussion kring vad som är nödvändig användning. Vidare kan det konstateras att fluorkarbonberedningens effekt försämras över tid, genom användning, tvätt och annan yttre påverkan. Slitaget sker ojämnt och vissa delar av ett plagg kan ha god avvisande effekt medan andra delar är så kallade öppna friytor. Smuts kan då gå in under beredningen och kapslas in. I resultatet har det också framkommit att rätt skötsel av den här typen av plagg är viktigt och att återaktivering genom värme är väsentlig. Samtidigt belyser respondenterna återkommande en mentalitet hos arbetare att de vill att plaggen ska visa att de arbetar och därför vara smutsiga, vilket medför att många plagg sällan tvättas. Genom utförda intervjuer och tester har studien kommit till slutsatsen att fluorkemi inte är nödvändig på varselkläder. Den yttre påverkan som relativt snabb sliter på beredningen genom användning och tvätt i kombination med att fluorkemin inte fyller någon långvarig avvisande funktion är aspekter som tagits i hänsyn för slutsatsen. / Fluor chemistry is used on high visibility workwear to protect the textile from dirt, water, grease, and oil. The chemicals are harmful to people and the environment, they are also very degraded, or they do not break down at all. The chemicals are developed by humans and divided into perfluorinated and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). PFAS is also classified as PBT substances, which means that they are persistent, bioaccumulate, and toxic. The study was in collaboration with Tranemo Textil AB, where the need for fluorocarbon finish for high visibility workwear was explored. The purpose of the study is to investigate if a fluorocarbon finish is essential on high visibility workwear, based on the use phase and washing process. Through interviews with experts and laundries, the study has obtained information about fluor chemistry and how the washing process works. The results of the interviews have been combined with tests on fabrics and on a wear test that has been tested in the person’s daily work for six months. The wear test is trousers with one leg with fluorocarbon finish and the other leg without. The study has compiled the results and can find that fluor chemistry has a negative impact on humans and the environment, which forms the basis for a discussion about what is essential use. Furthermore, it can be found that the effect of the fluorocarbon finish impairs over time, through use, washing, and other external impacts. The abrasion is uneven, and some parts of the garment can still have a good repellent effect, while other parts have so-called open surfaces. On the open surfaces, dirt can enter during the fluorocarbon finish and be encapsulated. The study has also emerged that proper care of this type of garment is important and that reactivation through heat is essential. At the same time, respondents repeatedly highlight workers' mentality that the garment should show and reflect high work ethics. This causes that many garments are rarely washed and become very dirty. Through interviews and tests, the study has concluded that fluor chemistry is not necessary for high visibility workwear. The external effects with relatively quickly abrasion on the finish through use and washing, this in combination with that fluor chemistry does not fulfil any long-lasting function are aspects that have been considered in the conclusion.