Smart Watch Bands Contain 'Very High Concentrations’ of Forever Chemicals That May Be Absorbed into Skin
A new study found 15 bands commonly available in the U.S. contained PFAS
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Stock image of a man checking his smart watch while working out.Bands used for smart watches and fitness trackers contain a synthetic rubber made with PFAS — also known as “forever chemicals” — and researchers are warning that these may be absorbed into the skin.
Researchers from the University of Notre Dame tested 22 bands from various price points that are commonly available for purchase in the US. They found that the most expensive ones (retailing for more than $15) contained the largest concentration of the chemicals, according to a study published in Environmental Science and Technology.
“The most remarkable thing we found in this study was the very high concentrations of just one PFAS — there were some samples above 1,000 parts per billion of PFHxA, which is much higher than most PFAS we have seen in consumer products,” Graham Peaslee, co-author of the study and professor emeritus in the Department of Physics and Astronomy said in a statement from the university.
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Stock image of a woman checking her fitness tracker.Related: Cancer-Causing 'Forever Chemicals' Found in Many Kinds of Contact Lenses, Study Finds
The issue, the statement says, comes from a synthetic polymer called fluoroelastomer, which is used to make the bands resistant to sweat and oil.
Although the brands were not named, “fifteen of the 22 bands we tested had a high percentage of total fluorine concentrations, and nine contained [perfluorohexanoic acid] PFHxA,” Alyssa Wicks, a graduate student in Peaslee’s lab and lead author of the study, said in the statement, which explained that high fluorine concentrations indicates the presence of PFAS.
Earlier research says as much as 60% of PFAS may be topically absorbed into the skin, the Guardian reported — and sweat may increase the rate of absorption. This is of particular concern, as these smart watches and fitness trackers are generally designed to be worn during periods of exercise.
As Wicks said in the statement, there can be "significant transfer through the skin."
“Multiple health effects associated with PFAS exposure have been identified,” says The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which adds that they’ve been linked to an increased risk of cancer, childhood obesity, metabolism disruption, and impairment of the immune system.
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