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Common Properties of Chemicals of Concern and Soil Matrices
Published in Cristiane Q. Surbeck, Jeff Kuo, Site Assessment and Remediation for Environmental Engineers, 2021
Cristiane Q. Surbeck, Jeff Kuo
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals that repel water or oil. They are often used as a coating in packaging materials that need to stay dry, on materials that can easily get stained, and in nonstick pots and pans. They enter the environment through the manufacturing process and the wear and tear of products that contain them. These chemicals are organofluorine compounds with fluorine atoms attached to an alkyl chain. The most common ones include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS).
Oxidation and Reduction Approaches for Treatment of Perfluoroalkyl Substances
Published in David M. Kempisty, Yun Xing, LeeAnn Racz, Perfluoroalkyl Substances in the Environment, 2018
Blossom N. Nzeribe, Selma M. Thagard, Thomas M. Holsen, Gunnar Stratton, Michelle Crimi
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals that are used in a wide array of industrial applications due to their unique hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, their ability to withstand extreme environmental conditions, and their high surface activity (Buck et al. 2012). They are mostly used in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs), surfactants, and lubricants (Moody and Field 2000) and were used by the US Department of Defense starting in the 1960s during firefighting operations and training at refineries and airports (Backe et al. 2013).
Tubing material considerably affects measurement delays of gas-phase oxygenated per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
Published in Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2023
James M. Mattila, Emily Y. Li, John H. Offenberg
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of anthropogenic compounds used in numerous industrial applications and consumer products (Glüge et al. 2020; Kotthoff et al. 2015). The widespread use of PFAS stems from their high thermal and chemical stability. This relative inertness also lends to slow or negligible chemical degradation upon release to the environment. PFAS are therefore capable of building up in the environment as persistent pollutants (Kwok et al. 2013; Pickard et al. 2018). This stability also makes PFAS resistant to biological breakdown, leading to high bioaccumulation potential (De Silva et al. 2021; Lesmeister et al. 2021). Exposure to certain PFAS has been linked to various negative health impacts including cancer and liver disease (Espartero et al. 2022; Fenton et al. 2021; Gaballah et al. 2020; Sunderland et al. 2019). These health concerns have led to a recent increase in federal and state regulations and monitoring of environmental PFAS in the U.S. (U.S. Congress 2021; EPA 2021).
Critical review on PFOA, kidney cancer, and testicular cancer
Published in Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2021
Scott M. Bartell, Verónica M. Vieira
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a complex class of emerging man-made contaminants with varying chemical properties, and rapidly changing production and use. Over 4000 individual PFAS chemicals have been produced, and used in a variety of products including (but not limited to) food packaging, contact paper, cookware, jackets, waterproof gear, furniture, carpeting, upholstery, industrial surfactants, cleansers, polishes, paints, wire insulation, ski waxes, and aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) used in firefighting (Sunderland et al. 2019). Although U.S. production dates back to the early 1950s (Shin et al. 2011a; ITRC 2021; 3M 2021), largely centered on perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), historical production amounts and product formulations are generally not publicly available. Moreover, the PFAS chemicals produced and used in the U.S. have changed over time, particularly after 8 large producers phased out U.S. production of PFOA, PFOS, and their precursors between 2000 and 2015, shifting toward shorter chain homologues, fluorotelomer-based products, per- and polyfluoroalkyl ether substances, and other replacements (ITRC 2021; Strynar et al. 2015). Although production has changed, PFAS are extremely stable and persistent in the environment due to their strong fluorine-carbon bonds, remaining in soil and groundwater for decades or longer (ATSDR 2018).
Physico-Chemical Processes for the Treatment of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): A review
Published in Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 2019
Blossom Nwedo Nzeribe, Michelle Crimi, Selma Mededovic Thagard, Thomas M. Holsen
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals that have been used in a wide array of industrial applications due to their unique hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, their ability to withstand extreme environmental conditions, and their high surface activity (Buck, Murphy, and Pabon, 2012). They are mostly used in aqueous film forming foams (AFFF), surfactants, and lubricants (Moody & Field, 2000), and were used by the US Department of Defense starting in the 1960s during firefighting operations and training at refineries and airports (Backe, Day, & Field, 2013).