Fluorosurfactant

A fluorosurfactant is a surface-active agent (surfactant) in which at least one of the hydrocarbon tails has been partially or fully fluorinated. Fluorosurfactants lower the surface tension of water far more effectively than hydrocarbon surfactants, making them essential in applications requiring wetting, leveling, or film formation on low-energy surfaces. Common PFAS-based fluorosurfactants include PFOS, PFOA salts, and fluorotelomer-based products. They are used in firefighting foams, metal plating, semiconductor manufacturing, and textile treatments.

ITRC PFAS Fact Sheet (2023); OECD (2013); Buck et al. (2011).

Fluorosurfactants are among the highest-volume PFAS applications historically and are being phased out across multiple regulatory frameworks. PFOS and its salts are already banned under the Stockholm Convention and EU POPs Regulation. PFOA-related fluorosurfactants face REACH restrictions. Companies still using fluorosurfactants should identify the specific PFAS chemistry, check it against restricted substance lists, and plan for substitution.

A chrome plating facility uses a PFOS-based mist suppressant in its electroplating bath. PFOS is listed under the Stockholm Convention and EU POPs Regulation, meaning the facility must switch to a non-PFAS mist suppressant or apply for a use-specific exemption (if still available).