Skip to main content

Research Update: February 2024

 ðŸ”¬ Ever wondered about the presence of PFAS in vegetable oil-based surfactants? We have, and here's what we found. 🔬

In recent years, the concern over the potential presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in edible oils has grown significantly. Various sources of PFAS in edible oil have been investigated, including potential accumulation through crop intake, contamination during production and refinement processes, and migration from packaging or other materials in contact with the oil [1].

The chemistry within our TASKâ„¢ MicroEVO Self-Emulsifier is intricate, incorporating vegetable oil-based surfactants. This unique formulation enables our EDS-ERâ„¢ product to spontaneously form an emulsified vegetable oil (EVO) upon contact with water. We are proud to also supply this chemistry to manufacturers of liquid dust suppressants for unpaved roads, parking lots, and construction sites. In response to the heightened global awareness surrounding PFAS, Tersus initiated a comprehensive PFAS evaluation program to assess the presence of PFAS in our TASKâ„¢ MicroEVO Self-Emulsifier, blended in the Carolinas.

Analyzing PFAS in organic liquids containing natural surfactants synthesized from vegetable oil poses significant challenges due to the high fatty acid content in the matrix and the potential trace levels of analytes. Furthermore, vegetable oil-based surfactants share a similar carbon skeleton with PFAS, leading to potential matrix effects and misidentification [2,3].

A sample of TASKâ„¢ MicroEVO Self-Emulsifier was collected from a 26,600 lb. batch, and Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories conducted analysis for 40 PFAS compounds referenced in the 3rd Draft EPA Method 1633 by EPA 537 IDA - EPA 537 Isotope Dilution. Tersus is pleased to announce that no detections (ND) were reported, indicating the absence of PFAS in our product.

REFERENCES

  1. Han Y, Cao X. Research Progress of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Edible Oil-A Review. Foods. 2023 Jul 6;12(13):2624. doi: 10.3390/foods12132624. PMID: 37444362; PMCID: PMC10340505.
  2. Zhang S., Wu T., Liu H., Li Y., You J. New stable isotope labeling strategy in quaternary ammonium-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for the analysis of perfluorocarboxylic acid in cod liver oil. Food Anal. Meth. 2019;12:1771–1780. doi: 10.1007/s12161-019-01516-5
  3. Carlsson P., Herzke D., Kallenborn R. Polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) and perfluorinated alkylated substances (pfass) in traditional seafood items from western greenland. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 2014;21:4741–4750. doi: 10.1007/s11356-013-2435-x