A review on the impacts of fluorinated organic additives in lithium battery industry—an emerging source of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) industry is expanding rapidly in the context of addressing the challenge of climate change and energy crisis. As a technology-intensive product, large number of new synthetic chemicals are applied in LIBs production. Organic fluorine additives are added in multiple components of LIBs, many of these additives are novel per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (with fully fluorinated methyl or methylene carbon atom), here, in this work we referred to this kind of compounds as LIB-PFAS. LIB-PFAS may cause high exposure to personnel in contact with LIBs materials during production and disposal processes, thus posing potential health risks to these occupational workers. The general population can be exposed to LIB-PFAS when they are released into the surrounding air, soil, and water. In order to assess potential health risks associated with LIB-PFAS, this review systematically summarizes the chemical structures, analytical methods, possible emission routes and human exposure pathways, their bioaccumulation, distribution, and elimination behaviors in humans, and existing toxicity data of LIB-PFAS. In particular, the screening and identification methods for 57 LIB-PFAS are discussed, as well as the investigation of emission processes and exposure risks during the manufacturing and disposal of LIB. Although the available scientific data is still limited, this review provide an insightful view and novel perspective for further research on the occupational and environmental health impacts of LIB-PFAS.

在应对气候变化与能源危机的背景下，锂离子电池（Lithium-ion batteries, LIBs）产业正迎来快速扩张。作为技术密集型产品，锂离子电池的生产过程中会应用大量新型合成化学品。有机氟添加剂被添加至锂离子电池的多个组件中，其中多数为新型全氟和多氟烷基物质（per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS，即含有全氟化甲基或亚甲基碳原子的化合物），本研究将此类化合物统称为LIB-PFAS。LIB-PFAS可能在锂离子电池的生产与处置过程中，对接触电池材料的从业人员造成高暴露水平，进而对这些职业人群构成潜在健康风险。当LIB-PFAS释放至周边空气、土壤与水体后，普通人群也可能通过相关途径暴露于此类物质。为评估LIB-PFAS相关的潜在健康风险，本综述系统梳理了LIB-PFAS的化学结构、分析方法、可能的排放路径与人体暴露途径、其在人体内的生物富集、分布与代谢清除行为，以及现有的毒性数据。其中重点讨论了57种LIB-PFAS的筛选与鉴定方法，并探讨了锂离子电池生产与处置过程中的排放过程与暴露风险。尽管现有科学数据仍较为有限，但本综述为后续研究LIB-PFAS的职业与环境健康影响提供了具有前瞻性的见解与全新视角。