Scientific Basis for Managing PFAS as a Chemical Class
Carol F Kwiatkowski1, David Q Andrews2, Linda S Birnbaum3
1Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States.
Environmental Science & Technology Letters
|July 26, 2021
Summary
This commentary advocates for managing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a single chemical class due to their shared persistence, accumulation, and hazard properties. This approach supports regulatory and business strategies to phase out non-essential PFAS uses and develop safer alternatives.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Toxicology
- Chemical Regulation
Background:
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) encompass a vast group of chemicals with diverse applications.
- Concerns are rising regarding the environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity of various PFAS compounds.
- Current regulatory and management strategies often address PFAS individually, posing challenges due to their sheer number and varied properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a scientific rationale for managing all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a single chemical class.
- To explore the physicochemical, environmental, and toxicological properties that support a unified class-based management approach for PFAS.
- To inform regulatory bodies and industries on implementing a class-based strategy for PFAS control and the development of alternatives.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of existing scientific literature on the properties of various PFAS.
- Analysis of physicochemical, environmental fate, and toxicological data across different PFAS.
- Examination of current regulatory actions and industry practices related to PFAS management.
Main Results:
- PFAS share critical properties, including high persistence, potential for accumulation, and known or potential hazards, justifying a class-based management approach.
- The proposed class approach encompasses perfluoroalkyl acids, their precursors, fluoropolymers, and other related substances.
- Examples illustrate how regulatory actions and business decisions are beginning to reflect a broader consideration of PFAS.
Conclusions:
- A class-based approach to managing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is scientifically supported by their collective properties.
- Governments and industry should prioritize eliminating non-essential PFAS uses and invest in developing safer alternatives.
- Effective environmental remediation strategies for existing PFAS contamination are crucial and require further development.
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