New research finds that your smartwatch band is laced with toxic forever chemicals

Just over a year ago, a study published in the Advances in Infectious Diseases journal detailed that 95% of the wearable straps for smartwatches and fitness bands were infected with different kinds of harmful bacteria.

Now, another research published in a reputed journal has revealed an even more sinister trend in straps sold for wrist-worn smart wearables. The paper, published in the ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters, highlights the presence of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in fluoroelastomer bands offered by various top brands.

The bands tested as part of the chemical analysis include those offered by big names like Google, Samsung, Apple, Fitbit, and CASETiFY. Interestingly, Samsung and Apple both sell watch bands made out of fluoroelastomers, the core problematic chemical at the center of the research, and even mention its “benefits” on their websites.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The research paper raises concern about “the very high concentration of PFHxA that can be readily extracted from the surfaces of watch bands made from fluoroelastomers.” The more worrisome part is that people wear these smart devices for more than daytime activities.

NOTE: The American Chemical Society (ACS) provided Digital Trends with a copy of the research paper and the supporting information covering the test protocol and analysis methodology for their assessment.

As features like sleep-quality monitoring and sleep apnea detection enter the mainstream, people are supposed to wear them even while sleeping. “Wearing these items for more than 12 hours per day poses an opportunity for significant transfer to the dermis and subsequent human exposure,” surmises the research team.

This is a serious threat

The research highlights how multiple straps were advertised to “sports and fitness” enthusiasts, which means they are worn during exercise. It could lead to increased sweat contact and open skin pores.

That’s concerning because related research suggests that a staggering 50% of PFHxA exposure is absorbed through the skin, and over a third enters the bloodstream. “One study reported PFHxA was the third highest PFAS concentration measured in whole blood samples,” says the research team.

PFHxAs fall in a particularly dangerous class of chemicals known as forever chemicals, and have gained the infamous name because they persist and avoid the regular cycle of environmental breakdown. What’s worrisome is that their detrimental impact is yet to be explored fully.

A frequent presence in everything from cosmetics and cookware to clothing and electronics, they have been used for decades in consumer as well as industrial items, particularly owing to their resilience against heat, water, oil, and grease exposure. However, in recent years, their destructive impact has gained widespread recognition.

Forever chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health issues, including cancer, and their presence has been documented in potable water supplies, soil, and even food items. As per the United States Environmental Protection Agency, PFHxA is one of the breakdown outcomes of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Expensive is not always good

As part of the research, the team focused on fluoroelastomers, which are essentially a class of synthetic rubbers made from PFAS, looking for the presence of fluorine and over a dozen other harmful chemicals. Interestingly, the more expensive bands exhibited a stronger presence of harmful chemicals than the cheaper ones.

Of the 22 bands and straps analyzed by the team, all the fluoroelastomer bands showed the presence of fluorine. Interestingly, bands that were not even explicitly made out of fluoroelastomer revealed the presence of fluorine, which is a strong sign of PFAS presence.

A subsequent chemical extraction process revealed the presence of PFHxA as the most common forever chemical in nine out of the 22 straps. On average, the PFHxA concentration came in at 800 parts per billion (ppb), which is four times higher than cosmetics. In one case, the concentration was as high as 16,000 parts per billion (ppb).

As per the research team, the high levels of PFHxA detected in the wristbands may be due to the use of this compound as a surfactant during the fluoroelastomer manufacturing process.

Alyssa Wicks, co-author of the research paper, recommends that customers should focus on lower-priced bands for their smartwatches and fitness bands if they seek to avoid PFHxA exposure.

“If the consumer wishes to purchase a higher-priced band, we suggest that they read the product descriptions and avoid any that are listed as containing fluoroelastomers,” Wicks was quoted as saying. She suggests that the next time you go shopping for straps and bands, look for the word fluoroelastomer and avoid them, if possible.