PFAS Molecules: A Major Concern for the Human Health and the Environment

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of over 4700 heterogeneous compounds with amphipathic properties and exceptional stability to chemical and thermal degradation. The unique properties of PFAS compounds has been exploited for almost 60 years and has largely contributed to their wide applicability over a vast range of industrial, professional and non-professional uses. However, increasing evidence indicate that these compounds represent also a serious concern for both wildlife and human health as a result of their ubiquitous distribution, their extreme persistence and their bioaccumulative potential. In light of the adverse effects that have been already documented in biota and human populations or that might occur in absence of prompt interventions, the competent authorities in matter of health and environment protection, the industries as well as scientists are cooperating to identify the most appropriate regulatory measures, substitution plans and remediation technologies to mitigate PFAS impacts. In this review, starting from PFAS chemistry, uses and environmental fate, we summarize the current knowledge on PFAS occurrence in different environmental media and their effects on living organisms, with a particular emphasis on humans. Also, we describe present and provisional legislative measures in the European Union framework strategy to regulate PFAS manufacture, import and use as well as some of the most promising treatment technologies designed to remediate PFAS contamination in different environmental compartments.

Associations between Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers in Adults of Czechia: The Kardiovize Study

“…The PFAS regulation rules differ among European countries; for example, in Denmark, the use of PFAS in paper and board food packaging has been banned since July 2020, and no French fries bags exhibit PFAS; but in Czechia, these items recently showed highly persistent PFAS levels [ 4 ]. Despite the decreasing trends of PFAS in Czechia [ 8 ], sludge was recently detected PFAS contamination in 43 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) [ 9 ], which is a major source of PFAS pollution [ 10 ].…”

Atomistic insights into the hydrodefluorination of PFAS using silylium catalysts

“…1,4,5 A significant portion of urban areas has PFAS concentrations above the EPA limits as PFAS is found in a variety of products including, but not limited to, cosmetics, firefighting foam, protective coatings ( e.g. , for automotive, aerospace, and culinary applications), and consumer packaging 6–8 (see Panieri et al 8 for a more comprehensive listing). It has been demonstrated that contamination occurs through soil and groundwater sources 3,9–17 and leads to accumulation in local food chains, 18,19 oceans 20 and prenatally in humans.…”

“…However, these fluorochemicals were developed to be resistant to chemical degradation; 10,24 as such they are notoriously difficult to transform which contributes to their ability to persist in the environment and their tendency to bioaccumulate. 8 Remediation techniques have been the focus of several reviews in recent years, 17,24–35 and can broadly be characterized into two paradigms: degradation and capture. It should be stressed that the debate over whether it is better to mobilize, immobilize, degrade, or some combination thereof is an active question.…”

Interlaboratory Comparison Investigations (ICIs) and External Quality Assurance Schemes (EQUASs) for human biomonitoring of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in serum as part of the quality assurance programme under HBM4EU

“…Exposure to PFASs can occur via dietary intake (by consuming PFASs-contaminated water or food), dermal contact or inhalation (Domingo and Nadal, 2017;Buck et al, 2011). Major concern about human health effects of persistent PFASs led to an adjustment in their application and to a reduction in their use in consumer products, but still about 470 t of non-polymeric PFASs were used in flame retardants and extinguishing agents between 2000 and 2017 in the Nordic countries of Europe alone (Panieri et al, 2022;Glüge et al, 2020). Some PFASs have half-lives on the order of years in the human body (Brede et al, 2010;Seals et al, 2011) and have been associated with developmental delays in the foetus and child (Blake and Fenton, 2020), decreased fertility (Chambers et al, 2021), and changes in endogeneous hormones, increased cholesterol levels, changes to the immune system, increased uric acid levels, changes in liver enzymes, and prostate, kidney and testicular cancer (Panieri et al, 2022).…”