Substitution of PFOS for use in nondecorative hard chrome plating

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semiconductor industry, in the photo industry, and as mist suppressants in the
metal plating industry.
In recent years, PFOS and other polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have
become a global environmental problem. These substances have been
determined widespread in surface water, sediment, sludge, soil,
outdoor/indoor air/dust, soils, animals, and humans, and have been found
even in remote polar areas such as Greenland (Giesy and Kannan 2002; Bossi
et al., 2005ab; Jensen et al., 2006).
The polyfluorinated substances are being biomagnified through the food
chain. As opposed to the most common persistent organic pollutants (POPs),
polyfluorinated compounds are not concentrated significantly in fatty tissue.
On contrary, they are associated to proteins in blood and internal organs, such
as spleen, lever, and kidney. Polar bears in top of the arctic food chain have
especially high concentrations of PFOS in the blood and liver.
PFOS has many adverse effects, among others; it is an endocrine disrupting
substance that affects the human fertility. Recent studies show a correlation
between the amount of PFOS in human blood and the time it takes for
women to get pregnant and a reduction in men’s semen quality (Fei et al.,
2009; Joensen et al., 2009).
1.2.4 Regulations and other initiatives
Already in 2004, PFOS-related compounds were added to the “List of
Undesirable Substances” by the Danish EPA.
The European Parliament and Council has regulated PFOS substances in
Directive 2006/122/EC of December 12, 2006 on “restrictions on the
marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations
(perfluorooctane sulfonates)”. According to this directive, PFOS compounds
may no longer be marketed or used as a substance or as part of preparations
in concentrations equal to or above 0.005 % (w/w), and may no longer be
used in semi-manufactured products or articles in a concentration equal to or
above 0.1 % (became effective from June 27, 2008). Some exceptions on the
ban of PFOS in the EU exist, among others the use as mist suppressants for
non-decorative hard chrome plating (chromium-(VI)). This directive was
automatically incorporated in the REACH Regulation annex XVII by
1.6.2009.
In May 2009, PFOS was listed as a persistent organic pollutant in the
Stockholm Convention. Hard metal plating and decorative plating became
specific use exemptions. (SC UNEP/POPS/POPRC.5/INF/3, 2009).
In December 2009, the US EPA published their action plan on long-chained
perfluorinated chemicals 4
. The US EPA intends to consider initiating
rulemaking under TSCA section 6 to manage long-chain PFCs. If the US
EPA can obtain certain findings with respect to these chemicals, TSCA
4 US EPA ”Long-chain Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs) Action Plan Summary.
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/actionplans/pfcs.html. Long-chained
PFCs are defined in the action plan and can in short be explained as PFAS
(perfluoroalkyl sulfonates) with a chain length of 6 or higher and as PFAC
(perfluoroalkyl carboxylates) with a chain length of 8 or higher.