The CTC laboratories provide analyses to search for and detect PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a large group of over 4,000 chemical compounds. Used since the 1950s in various industrial fields and everyday consumer products, PFAS have long been valued for their remarkable physical and chemical properties, such as heat resistance and waterproofness, as well as their capacity to stabilise products over time. 

However, their stability and durability have become major concerns for the environment and public health, due to their cumulative effect and non-degradability. This is why these substances are often described as “forever chemicals”. 

To address this issue, the authorities are strengthening the legislation on the use of these compounds and increasing checks to detect the presence of PFAS in products. 

Our experts are available to handle your questions or analysis requests. 

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Where are PFAS found ? 

Due to their varied use and their persistence, all environments can be affected by contaminations: water, air, soil, the food chain, and consumer goods. 

• Where water is concerned, the sectors targeted by the Ministerial Decree of 20/06/2023 (including tanneries) 
• The consumer goods industry 

 

A closer look 

• PFAS: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances 
• Carbon chain (of variable length) on which the hydrogen (H) atoms have been replaced by fluorine (F) atoms 
• Very strong carbon-fluorine (C-F) chemical bond 
• Several thousand compounds made and used over the past decades 

 

Numerous properties 

• Waterproof/stain proof: rain gear, technical materials, textiles, upholstery fabrics 
• Non-stick: kitchen utensils 
• Fire proof: technical materials, fire-retardant foams 
• … 

 

Impact

• Very long lifespan 
• Very persistent in the environment 
• Significant health consequences 

 

Regulations 

• PFOS and PFOA prohibited since 2009 and 2020 respectively 
• Since 2023, new French legislation on water quality (Ministerial Decree of 20/06/2023) 
• More stringent REACh regulations 

 

 

Category	Sector of Activity
2330	Dyeing, printing, finishing, coating, bleaching, and washing-off of textile materials
2345	Use of solvents for dry cleaning and treatment of textiles or garments
2350	Tanneries, taweries, and any operation involving the preparation of hides and skins
2351	Dyeing and pigmentation of hides
2567	Galvanisation, tinning of metals or metallic coating of any material by a process other than chemical or electrolytic
2660	Polymers (plastics, rubber, elastomers, synthetic resins and adhesives) – manufacturing or regeneration
2661	Polymers (plastics, rubber, elastomers, synthetic resins and adhesives) – processing
2750	Collective wastewater treatment plant for industrial effluents originating from at least one classified facility subject to authorisation
2752	Mixed wastewater treatment plant (receiving both domestic and industrial wastewater) with a nominal treatment capacity of at least 10,000 population equivalents (PE), when the load exceeds 70% of the plant’s capacity in COD
2760	Waste storage facility
2790	Hazardous waste treatment facility
2791	Non-hazardous waste treatment facility
2795	Facility for washing drums, containers, and transport tanks for foodstuffs or hazardous substances or mixtures
3120	Petroleum and gas refining
3230	Processing of ferrous metals
3260	Surface treatment of metals or plastics using an electrolytic or chemical process
3410	Industrial-scale manufacturing by chemical or biological transformation of organic chemical products
3420	Industrial-scale manufacturing by chemical or biological transformation of inorganic chemical products
3440	Industrial-scale manufacturing by chemical or biological transformation of plant protection products or biocides
3450	Industrial-scale manufacturing by chemical or biological transformation of pharmaceutical products, including intermediates
3510	Disposal or recovery of hazardous waste
3531	Disposal of non-inert non-hazardous waste with a capacity exceeding 50 tonnes/day
3532	Recovery, or a mix of recovery and disposal, of non-inert non-hazardous waste with a capacity exceeding 75 tonnes/day
3540	Waste storage installations
3560	Underground storage of hazardous waste with a total capacity exceeding 50 tonnes
3610	Manufacture, in industrial installations, of pulp from wood or other fibrous materials, paper or cardboard, or wood-based panels
3620	Pre-treatment (washing, bleaching, mercerisation) or dyeing of textile fibres or textiles
3630	Tanning of hides, with a processing capacity exceeding 12 tonnes of finished products per day
3670	Surface treatment of materials, objects or products using organic solvents
3710	Wastewater treatment
4713	Fluorine (CAS number 7782-41-4)

 

List of the 20 compulsory PFAS 

Molecule	CAS number	Sandre code
Perfluorobutanoic acid PFBA	375-22-4	5980
Perfluoropentanoic acid PFPeA	2706-90-3	5979
Perfluorohexanoic acid PFHxA	307-24-4	5978
Perfluoroheptanoic acid PFHpA	375-85-9	5977
Perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA	335-67-1	5347
Perfluorononanoic acid PFNA	375-95-1	6508
Perfluorodecanoic acid PFDA	335-76-2	6509
Perfluoroundecanoic acid PFUnDA	2058-94-8	6510
Perfluorododecanoic acid PFDoDA	307-55-1	6507
Perfluorotridecanoic acid PFTrDA	72629-94-8	6549
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid PFBS	59933-66-3	6025
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid PFPeS	2706-91-4	8738
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid PFHxS	355-46-4	6830
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid PFHpS	375-92-8	6542
Perfluorooctanesulfonate PFOS	45298-90-6	6561
Perfluorononanesulfonic acid PFNS	68259-12-1	8739
Perfluorodecanesulfonic acid PFDS	335-77-3	6550
Perfluoroundecanesulfonic acid PFUnDS	749786-16-1	8740
Perfluorododecanesulfonic acid PFDoDS	79780-39-5	8741
Perfluorotridecanesulfonic acid PFTrDS	791563-89-8	8742
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid PFOS	1763-23-1	6560

 

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