Confident Total Organic Fluorine Analysis in Textiles with the Cindion Combustion-Ion Chromatography System

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in textile products to give them water-repellent and stain-resistant qualities. As regulations limit PFAS in consumer products, manufacturers and testing laboratories need analytical tools that can reliably detect fluorinated compounds, even when PFAS structures are unknown.

Our recent application note, Screening of PFAS in textiles: Utilizing a new combustion IC system for total organic fluorine (TOF) analysis, highlights how the Thermo Scientific Cindion Combustion-Ion Chromatography (C-IC) System provides a streamlined, sensitive, and robust approach to measuring TOF in textile materials. TOF analysis provides a comprehensive way to evaluate PFAS presence by quantifying all organically bound fluorine in a sample, regardless of chemical identity. This is particularly valuable for textiles, where PFAS may be embedded within fibers and are not always easily extractable. Targeted LC-MS methods typically measure only extractable PFAS, whereas combustion ion chromatography captures all organically bound fluorine, including non-extractable fluorinated species. For textiles, where PFAS may be embedded in fibers and not easily extractable, TOF offers a more complete representation than targeted methods.

The Cindion platform simplifies TOF analysis by combining combustion, absorption, and ion chromatography into a unified, software-controlled workflow. Across six textile types (canvas, waterproof fabrics, and tablecloth materials), the Cindion C-IC system delivered TOF values that were between 100% and 105% compared with those obtained from a previously used combustion IC platform. The relative standard deviation for each sample was also comparable at <8%. This demonstrates strong accuracy and reproducibility, essential for compliance-focused workflows.

As PFAS regulations broaden into consumer goods, laboratories must adopt methods that are:

Sensitive enough to detect trace fluorine
Reliable across diverse, difficult-to-extract materials
Fast and automated to support higher-throughput testing
Comprehensive enough to capture all organically bound fluorine, regardless of extractability

The Cindion C-IC System meets all of these requirements. By directly combusting textile samples without an extraction step, it provides a streamlined workflow with low background contamination for determining fluorine levels in textiles. This TOF method delivers greater confidence as industries work to comply with evolving regulations.

Visit the Cindion combustion ion chromatography system page to learn how the Cindion C-IC system can elevate your analytical capabilities and ensure regulatory compliance.

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