perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of several thousand synthetic organic chemical compounds made up of a chain of carbon atoms bonded to fluorine atoms. PFAS, which resist water, oil, and heat, were discovered beginning in the 1930s and have been widely used by a range of manufacturers to produce nonstick cookware and bakeware and stain-resistant or water-resistant fabrics and leather and in firefighting foams and many other products. Highly resistant to chemical breakdown and persistent in the environment, PFAS have become environmental contaminants and are now believed to be found in the blood of nearly all Americans; PFAS can accummulate in the body through consuming contaminated water or food, inhaling contaminated air, or using products made with PFAS, with body levels reducing only very gradually over time. PFAS have been implicated in a number of adverse human health conditions, and have been shown to have a range of adverse health effects on laboratory animals. Among the better known PFAS are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, also known as C8) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which were manufactured until the 2000s and continue to persist in the environment; alternative PFAS have replaced them, and new PFAS continue to be synthesized and manufactured.
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