The perils of PFAS: Everything, everywhere, all of us

Birnbaum, Linda

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/122967 Copy

Description

Title

The perils of PFAS: Everything, everywhere, all of us

Author(s)

Birnbaum, Linda

Issue Date

2024-04-25

Keyword(s)

• PFAS
• per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Abstract

PFAS are everywhere, in everything, and in all of us, as well as all wildlife. They are environmentally persistent, mobile, bioaccumulative, and toxic. There are >15,000 different PFAS and very few have any testing. Many PFAS are in polymers which actually represent ~80% of PFAS in the environment. Polymers have to be made from PFAS and break down to release PFAS. PFAS are incredibly useful, and lucrative. However, not all uses are essential and there are alternatives for many uses. More research is needed to find alternatives to essential uses such as in certain pharmaceuticals. And more research is needed on remediation and recovery of existing PFAS from waste streams for potential essential use. Little attention has been paid to the ultra-short chain PFAS which actually are major contributors to the environmental load. A class approach is essential as there is no way, time, or money to test thousands of PFAS. And while restrictions in the use of the legacy long-chain PFAS have resulted in reduction in human blood levels, environmental levels continue to rise.

Has Part

https://youtu.be/d9AwYwOFHhw

Type of Resource

• still image
• text

Owning Collections