PFAS Contamination

The CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have both identified human exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl) substances a public health concern. PFAS is considered a toxic “forever chemical” as research indicates that it does not leave the body or the environment. As a result, PFAS is widespread in the environment even though it does not occur naturally.

The two PFAS most widely used in the US are PFOA (perfluoroctane sulfonic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid). PFOA was developed by chemists at Dupont in the 1930s and later heavily utilized in the manufacture of Teflon. 3M manufactured and sold PFAS for use in consumer and industrial products for decades until 2002 when PFOA was withdrawn from the market due to environmental concerns identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

PFAS came into widespread use through products such as:

• Non-stick cookware, such as Teflon
• Stain resistant fabric and carpeting
• Waterproof clothing, including Scotchgard and Gore-tex
• Firefighting foams, used at air bases and airports
• Personal care products, like cosmetics and shampoos
• Food wrappers

• Kidney cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Ulcerative colitis
• Thyroid disease
• High cholesterol
• Pregnancy-induced hypertension

Further research suggests that exposure to PFAS in water and food may lead to:

• Increased risk of certain types of cancer, including kidney cancer and testicular cancer
• Increased rich of high cholesterol levels and hypertension
• Changes in liver enzymes
• Decreased immune system, making vaccines less effective especially in children
• Increased risk of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia in pregnant women
• Small decreases in infant birth weights
• Effects on behavior, learning and growth in children and infants
• Fertility issues for both men and women
• Changes in natural hormone levels in the body

PFAS is undetectable to both sight and taste. The only way to confirm contamination is by having your water or food tested.  Due to water contamination in the environment, the EPA and CDC recommend that you do not swim in, drink from or eat fish from contaminated streams or rivers. Additionally, these same agencies as well as state environmental protection agencies recommend that you do not eat wildlife that feed on vegetation where soil contamination due to PFAS has occurred.  

• PFOS: Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid
• PFOA (or C8): Perfluorooctanoic acid
• PFNA: Perfluoronanoic acid
• PFDA: Perfluorodecanoic acid
• PFOSA (or FSOA): Perefluorooctane sulfonaminde
• MeFOSAA (aka Me-PFOSA-AcOH): 2-(N-Methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid
• Et-FOSAA (aka Et-PFOSA-AcOH): 2-(N-Ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid
• PFHxS: Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid