The occurrence of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) was investigated
in 94 food-contact materials (FCMs). We detected 6:2 FTOH (<0.60–1110
ng/g), 8:2 FTOH (<0.40–8490 ng/g), and 10:2 FTOH (<0.02–9350
ng/g) in most FCM samples, and four longer-chain C<sub>14–20</sub> FTOHs were, for the first time, identified in FCMs with relatively
high concentrations (<0.02–8450 ng/g for 12:2 FTOH, <0.02–1640
ng/g for 14:2 FTOH, <0.02–372 ng/g for 16:2 FTOH, and <0.02–130
ng/g for 18:2 FTOH). There were three typical profiles of FTOHs that
were dominated by 6:2 FTOH (95.6 ± 8.1% in 9 FCMs), 8:2 FTOH
(50.9 ± 20.8% in 22 FCMs), and 10:2 FTOH (44.5 ± 20.9% in
30 FCMs), indicating the congener-specific usage of FTOHs for different
commercial purposes. All nine detectable FCMs produced in the United
States were dominated by 6:2 FTOH, which was significantly different
from those produced in China. The median concentration of total FTOHs
in eco-friendly paper tableware was 2990 ng/g, which was lower than
in popcorn bags (18 200 ng/g) but much higher than other FCMs
(<0.55–38.7 ng/g). FTOHs could migrate from paper bowls,
with migration efficiencies of 0.004–0.24% into water, 0.004–0.24%
into 10% ethanol, 0.009–2.79% into 30% ethanol, 0.06–13.0%
into 50% ethanol (v/v) simulants, and 0.04–2.28% into oil.
Migration efficiencies decreased with increasing carbon chain lengths
of FTOHs
