Stefan Posner - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Stefan Posner
The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2011
ABSTRACT Perfluorinated compounds are a chemical family of all organic compounds consisting of a ... more ABSTRACT Perfluorinated compounds are a chemical family of all organic compounds consisting of a carbon backbone fully surrounded by fluorine and represent a large and complex group of organic substances with unique characteristics. They are used in several industrial branches, but they also occur in a large range of consumer products. Because of their extraordinary properties such as chemically inert, non-wetting, very slippery, nontoxic, nonstick, highly fire resistant, very high-temperature ratings, highly weather resistant, they are applied in fluoropolymer-coated cookware, sports clothing, extreme weather-resistant military uniforms, food handling equipment, medical equipment, motor oil additives, fire fighting foams, paint and ink as well as water-repellent products. Currently, the knowledge of the exact chemical compositions in articles and preparations of perfluorinated compounds is very limited. Since the exact composition of perfluorinated compounds in consumer products is mostly confidential, a range of analytical studies concerning the content of perfluorinated compounds in consumer products have been carried out over the past years with the intention to better understand the intentional and residual content and release of fluorinated substances from consumer products and their impact to health and the environment. KeywordsConsumer products-Perfluorinated carboxylic acids-Perfluorinated compounds-Telomer alcohols
Clothing and Textiles Research Journal
The applicability of life-cycle assessment (LCA) for the textile industry is discussed with a spe... more The applicability of life-cycle assessment (LCA) for the textile industry is discussed with a special focus on environmental impact from chemicals. Together with issues of water depletion and energy use, the use of chemicals and their emissions are important environmental considerations for textile products. However, accounting for chemicals is a weak point in LCA methodology and practice. Two research questions were investigated in a case study of hospital garments: 1) whether LCA adds value to assessments of the chemical performance of textile products, and 2) whether inclusion of toxicity issues in LCA affects environmental performance rankings for textile products. It is concluded that the quantitative and holistic tool LCA is useful for environmental decision makers in the textile industry, and becomes more effective when chemical impacts are included. A flexible way forward is demonstrated to meet the challenge of accounting for chemicals in LCAs of textile products.
Several types of halogenated organic flame retardants, mainly brominated flame retardants, are de... more Several types of halogenated organic flame retardants, mainly brominated flame retardants, are described in the literature. This includes compounds belonging to the families of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) and its derivatives, such as tetrabromobisphenol A bis(dibromopropyl ether) and tetrabromobisphenol A bis (allyl ether), tribromophenol (TBP) and brominated phthalic anhydride. Use of flame retardant additives depends mainly on the type of polymer to be flame retarded. Although the use of halogenated flame retardants is under increasing scrutiny due to their potentially harmful environmental and health characteristics they represent around 25% by volume of the total global production of flame retardants with a growth of around 5% per year (SRI consulting, 2008). Over the past 30 years PBDEs and TBBP A have been the focus of environmental research determining the characteristics and fate of these compounds. In response to recent regulations on the use of some BFRs, new brominated derivates are being introduced by industry and emitted into the environment. Little is known about the fate and long-range transport capabilities of non-PBDE BFRs. In a report for the Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency, we assessed sources, transport and fate of emerging BFRs (Harju et al., 2009).
Chemosphere, 2012
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in numerous industrial and consumer... more Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in numerous industrial and consumer products because of their special chemical properties, for instance the ability to repel both water and oil. A broad variety of PFAS have been introduced into the Norwegian market through industrial use (e.g. via fire fighting foams and paints) as well as in treated customer products such as textiles and coated paper. Our present knowledge of the exact chemical PFAS compositions in preparations using perfluorinated compounds is limited. This lack of knowledge means that it is difficult to provide an accurate assessment of human exposure to these compounds or to the amount of waste that may contain treated products. It is a growing concern that these potentially harmful compounds can now be found throughout the global environment.
The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, 2011
ABSTRACT Perfluorinated compounds are a chemical family of all organic compounds consisting of a ... more ABSTRACT Perfluorinated compounds are a chemical family of all organic compounds consisting of a carbon backbone fully surrounded by fluorine and represent a large and complex group of organic substances with unique characteristics. They are used in several industrial branches, but they also occur in a large range of consumer products. Because of their extraordinary properties such as chemically inert, non-wetting, very slippery, nontoxic, nonstick, highly fire resistant, very high-temperature ratings, highly weather resistant, they are applied in fluoropolymer-coated cookware, sports clothing, extreme weather-resistant military uniforms, food handling equipment, medical equipment, motor oil additives, fire fighting foams, paint and ink as well as water-repellent products. Currently, the knowledge of the exact chemical compositions in articles and preparations of perfluorinated compounds is very limited. Since the exact composition of perfluorinated compounds in consumer products is mostly confidential, a range of analytical studies concerning the content of perfluorinated compounds in consumer products have been carried out over the past years with the intention to better understand the intentional and residual content and release of fluorinated substances from consumer products and their impact to health and the environment. KeywordsConsumer products-Perfluorinated carboxylic acids-Perfluorinated compounds-Telomer alcohols
Clothing and Textiles Research Journal
The applicability of life-cycle assessment (LCA) for the textile industry is discussed with a spe... more The applicability of life-cycle assessment (LCA) for the textile industry is discussed with a special focus on environmental impact from chemicals. Together with issues of water depletion and energy use, the use of chemicals and their emissions are important environmental considerations for textile products. However, accounting for chemicals is a weak point in LCA methodology and practice. Two research questions were investigated in a case study of hospital garments: 1) whether LCA adds value to assessments of the chemical performance of textile products, and 2) whether inclusion of toxicity issues in LCA affects environmental performance rankings for textile products. It is concluded that the quantitative and holistic tool LCA is useful for environmental decision makers in the textile industry, and becomes more effective when chemical impacts are included. A flexible way forward is demonstrated to meet the challenge of accounting for chemicals in LCAs of textile products.
Several types of halogenated organic flame retardants, mainly brominated flame retardants, are de... more Several types of halogenated organic flame retardants, mainly brominated flame retardants, are described in the literature. This includes compounds belonging to the families of polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) and its derivatives, such as tetrabromobisphenol A bis(dibromopropyl ether) and tetrabromobisphenol A bis (allyl ether), tribromophenol (TBP) and brominated phthalic anhydride. Use of flame retardant additives depends mainly on the type of polymer to be flame retarded. Although the use of halogenated flame retardants is under increasing scrutiny due to their potentially harmful environmental and health characteristics they represent around 25% by volume of the total global production of flame retardants with a growth of around 5% per year (SRI consulting, 2008). Over the past 30 years PBDEs and TBBP A have been the focus of environmental research determining the characteristics and fate of these compounds. In response to recent regulations on the use of some BFRs, new brominated derivates are being introduced by industry and emitted into the environment. Little is known about the fate and long-range transport capabilities of non-PBDE BFRs. In a report for the Norwegian Climate and Pollution Agency, we assessed sources, transport and fate of emerging BFRs (Harju et al., 2009).
Chemosphere, 2012
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in numerous industrial and consumer... more Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in numerous industrial and consumer products because of their special chemical properties, for instance the ability to repel both water and oil. A broad variety of PFAS have been introduced into the Norwegian market through industrial use (e.g. via fire fighting foams and paints) as well as in treated customer products such as textiles and coated paper. Our present knowledge of the exact chemical PFAS compositions in preparations using perfluorinated compounds is limited. This lack of knowledge means that it is difficult to provide an accurate assessment of human exposure to these compounds or to the amount of waste that may contain treated products. It is a growing concern that these potentially harmful compounds can now be found throughout the global environment.