Accreditation of 6:2 FTAB in Water

Firefighting foams of the AFFF type have been widely used for decades to combat fires involving flammable petroleum products. Initially, PFOS was the primary active PFAS ingredient in these foams, but its environmental and health hazards led to restrictions in many countries. In parallel, alternative fluorinated, telomer-based (FT) surfactants such as 6:2 FTAB were introduced and became common in many AFFF products. Despite its widespread use, 6:2 FTAB remained poorly studied for a long time and lacked robust analytical methods for environmental detection. Growing awareness of PFAS risks has brought 6:2 FTAB under scrutiny as a significant component in modern AFFF formulations.

6:2 FTAB is a polyfluorinated betaine surfactant that exhibits high persistence in the environment, breaking down slowly into short-chain PFCAs. Investigations by SGI (Swedish Geotechnical Institute) under the Swedish government program (RUPFAS) have revealed significant concentrations of 6:2 FTAB in soil and groundwater at fire training sites studied, sometimes higher than PFOS contamination. Regarding drinking water, in the UK, 6:2 FTAB has been found at elevated levels (up to 1300 ng/L) in raw waters at three waterworks operated by Severn Trent Water. The UK Drinking Water Inspectorate has, since 2025, included 6:2 FTAB in its PFAS monitoring list (DWI PFAS48). The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) recently published a report on PFAS in French drinking water. 6:2 FTAB was detected in 2.6% of the raw waters studied (n=647) at concentrations ranging from 10–140 ng/L. Moreover, the compound will be included in the PFAS22 group (DWD PFAS20 + 6:2 FTS + 6:2 FTAB), forming the basis for the new French 2026 monitoring campaign of incoming and outgoing urban wastewater from treatment plants serving more than 10,000 pe.

Eurofins has offered analytical services for 6:2 FTAB for three years, including water, soil, AFFF and other products. We have now achieved accreditation for 6:2 FTAB analysis in both clean (e.g. surface, drinking, and groundwater) and unclean (e.g. leachate, process, and wastewater) water matrices. The limit of quantification (LOQ) is 10 ng/L for both types of water. Delivery time (TAT) depends on the package ordered and varies between 5–10 working days. 6:2 FTAB is included in our PFAS50 and PFAS53 packages covering UK DWI PFAS48. The compound can also be ordered in addition to other packs or as a single substance, with no additional sample volume required.

Eurofins can also offer determination of DPOSA (Capstone A) in both water and soil. For more information about packages, see our online analysis catalogue.

For questions regarding PFAS, our analytical advisory service is available through customer support at 010-490 8110 or via email at sh-analys.miljo.se@etn.eurofins.com

Links

Eurofins online catalogue
Eurofins AFFF “Short Facts”
ANSES (report in French)
Legifrance (PFAS22 monitoring; in French)
Severn Trent Water (Sve4.28)
Severn Trent Water (Sve29.13)
https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000052201216
SGI (PFAS webinar; in Swedish)
UK DWI