Overview
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of over 14,000 synthetic chemicals1 that have been used in industry and consumer products, worldwide, for over 70 years. This includes compounds such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid (also known as “GenX”).2
PFAS are used in many different industry and consumer products, including:
- Stain-resistant textiles
- Food-handling materials
- Firefighting foam
- Medical devices
- Paints
- Personal care products
- Construction materials
Research suggests exposure to some PFAS might result in harmful health outcomes, including:
- Cancer
- Increased cholesterol levels
- Immune system effects
Community exposure to PFAS may occur through:
- Air
- Consumer products
- Drinking water
- Food
- Soil
Risk factors
Workers might be exposed to PFAS in ways that are different than the general public, such as by touching concentrated products or breathing PFAS in the air at their workplace.
Some workers may have higher exposures to PFAS than other groups. A person’s industry, occupation, and work activities can impact:
- Specific PFAS they are exposed to
- How much they are exposed to
- How they are exposed
Some occupations known to be exposed more than the general U.S. population are:
The American Conference for Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) has established recommendations called Threshold Limit Values (TLVs)9 for three PFAS in air:
- Perfluoroisobutylene (PFIB)
- Perfluorobutyl ethylene
- Ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO)—a salt of PFOA.
ACGIH TLVs are not standards; they are health-based guidelines derived from scientific and toxicological information.
ACGIH® is a professional, not-for-profit scientific association that reviews existing published, peer-reviewed scientific literature and publishes recommendations for safe levels of substances in air based on an 8-hour workday and 40-hour workweek.
What’s being done
As early as 2004, NIOSH began research on PFAS. Early studies included laboratory assessments of dermal PFOA absorption and immune function. However, recent research has expanded to include toxicological studies of immune response and evaluation of exposure and health in workers.
The types and uses of PFAS have changed over the past few decades.3 Researchers at NIOSH are leading, supporting, and collaborating with other government and academic researchers to assess occupational exposures to PFAS currently in use as well as the associated routes of exposure and potential health impacts.
Studies of those with higher exposures can help improve the understanding of how exposures occur, effective interventions, and the potential impact of PFAS on human health.
To support these activities, NIOSH researchers are also developing analytical methods for the measurement of PFAS exposures in the workplace. Research activities include:
- Worker exposure and health assessments
- Dermal absorption assessments
- Sampling and analytical methods
- Toxicity testing in animals
- High throughput screening in vitro studies
- Firefighter turnout gear testing