Urgent smartwatch warning as toxic 'forever chemicals' found in gadget wristbands

Elysia Taylor-Hearn
·2-min read
-Credit:PA
-Credit:PA


Scientists have issued health warnings after discovering high levels of potentially toxic "forever chemicals" in smartwatch wristbands.

American researchers screened wristbands from a range of brands and price points and found that a staggering 68 percent contained perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Also nicknamed “Forever Chemicals”, PFAS do not occur in nature and are known to cause worrying health issues such as a lowered immune response to vaccination, impaired liver function and decreased birth weight.

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The chemicals are used to make rubber smartwatch straps because they are highly durable and repel water, sweat and oil.

But now academics at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana have warned that the proximity of these toxic materials to our skin could pose serious health dangers.

Professor Graham Peaslee, who co-authored the study, said: “This discovery stands out because of the very high concentrations of one type of forever chemical found in items that are in prolonged contact with our skin.”

The durability of smartwatches has previously made them a great gym companion -Credit:Getty
The durability of smartwatches has previously made them a great gym companion -Credit:Getty

The revelation comes after researchers at the University of Birmingham discovered that PFAS can readily be absorbed through human skin to reach the bloodstream. Dr Oddný Ragnarsdóttir, who carried out the research, warned that "uptake through the skin could be a significant source of exposure to these harmful chemicals".

Given these risks, the latest research also raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the potentially dangerous composition of smartwatches. Of the 22 wristbands that experts analysed, 13 were openly advertised as containing the PFAS fluorine. A further two wristbands revealed signs of the same dangerous chemical, even though they did not acknowledge it on their packaging.

PFAS can cause health issues like a lowered immune response to vaccination -Credit:Getty
PFAS can cause health issues like a lowered immune response to vaccination -Credit:Getty

Although “forever chemicals” were more common in expensive wristbands, all models exhibited far higher quantities of PFAS than other consumer products.

The average concentration of PFAS in the studied smartwatches was almost 800 parts per billion, compared to around 200 parts per billion for cosmetics. One watch even exhibited a PFAS concentration of more than 16,000 parts per billion – a whopping 80 times more than cosmetics.

Professor Peaslee stressed: “We have never seen extractable concentrations in the part-per-million range for any wearable consumer product applied to the skin.”

To avoid the dangers associated with these potentially toxic wristbands, the study’s co-author Alyssa Wicks recommended buying lower-cost wristbands made from silicone instead.

She added: “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.”

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