Study finds harmful chemicals in smartwatches

by Andrea
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Study finds harmful chemicals in smartwatches

Study finds harmful chemicals in smartwatches

Smartwatches and fitness trackers can be a health risk due to high levels of PFHxA, a chemical found in fluoro rubber used in bracelets.

Despite being technologies that are increasingly present in everyday life, a new study suggests that these devices can expose people to harmful chemicals.

Research has found that bracelets made from fluorinated synthetic rubber contain very high levels of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)a type of chemical associated with environmental and health concerns.

“This discovery stands out due to the very high concentrations of a type of eternal chemical found in objects that are in prolonged contact with our skin”, explained researcher Graham Peaslee, cited by .

High levels of PFHxA

As perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals that last seemingly forever in the environment and repel water, sweat and oil.

Because of these properties, manufacturers include these chemicals in many consumer products, such as stain-resistant bedding, menstrual products, activewear, smartwatches, and fitness tracking bracelets.

Typically, bracelets contain fluoroelastomers, synthetic rubbers made from PFAS chains, to create a material that prevents discoloration and repels dirt. Despite the durability of these bracelets, the truth is that they can pose a danger to your skin.

To investigate this situation, scientists analyzed 22 bracelets available on the market. Two of them said they did not contain fluoroelastomers, but in the analysis the scientists found fluorine, which indicates the potential presence of PFAS.

Of all the bracelets tested, the most expensive – which cost more than 30 dollars – contained more fluoride than those costing less than 15.

After a chemical extraction, all bracelets were checked for 20 different PFAS, with the PFHxA the most commonbeing present in nine of the 22 bracelets tested.

The median PFHxA concentration was nearly 800 parts per million (ppb), with one sample exceeding 16,000 ppb. “We have never seen extractable concentrations in the parts per million range (>1000 ppb) for any consumer wearable product applied to the skin,” Peaslee emphasized.

According to the team, the large amounts of PFHxA found in the bracelets could be a result of the compound being used as surfactant during the fluoroelastomer manufacturing process.

Scientists still don’t know how PFHxA is transferred to the skin, nor the potential health effects it has, but studies suggest that a significant percentage could pass through human skin. under normal conditions.

The was published in ACS Environmental Science & Technology Letters.

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