Wednesday, November 19
9:00 am - 10:40 am
PFAS Contaminants in Feminine Hygiene Products
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used for their water- and oil-repellent properties, resulting in their pervasive presence in the environment and finished consumer products. Recent medical research highlights significant health risks associated with PFAS exposure in humans and animals, including through transdermal absorption. Global regulatory efforts, advocacy from industry associations such as INDA and EDANA, and initiatives by individual brands have driven progress toward reducing or eliminating PFAS in absorbent hygiene products (AHP). A 2023 study, analyzing menstrual products from 2020–2022, detected PFAS in nearly half of the samples. New data examining the layers of construction in these products pinpoint potential contamination points in the supply chain. The discussion covers the success of PFAS reduction efforts, key risks associated with contamination, the difference between “tested” and “certified” PFAS-free product claims, and findings from the latest construction-layer analysis.
» Chris Hudalla, Ph.D.
President, ProVerde Labs
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Hudalla is an analytical chemist with more than 25 years of academic and industrial research experience in analytical chemistry, spectroscopy and chromatographic method development. He is recognized worldwide as an expert in the field of traditional Reverse Phase Liquid and Supercritical Fluid Chromatography. Dr. Hudalla is a founder and Chief Scientific Officer of ProVerde Laboratories, a premier analytical testing, CO2 extraction and derivative product formulation consultancy for the regulated medical cannabis industry. ProVerde is one of few laboratories to receive an ISO 17025 accreditation that specifically governs medical cannabis testing. ProVerde Laboratories operates at the cutting edge of extraction, purification and product formulation, with expertise that will move cannabis research forward as the industry progresses. Dr. Hudalla plays an integral part in providing clients in the medical cannabis industry the ability to deliver new products and product formulations that meet the highest standards for quality, consistency, safety and labeling. Dr. Hudalla received his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Barbara and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Eppley Institute for Cancer Research within the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Dr. Hudalla has delivered presentations world-wide in his areas of expertise, including analytical testing specific to medical cannabis.
