Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2006 Nov;114(11):1776-82.
doi: 10.1289/ehp.9060.

The applicability of biomonitoring data for perfluorooctanesulfonate to the environmental public health continuum

John L Butenhoff  1 , Geary W Olsen, Andrea Pfahles-Hutchens
Affiliations
Review

The applicability of biomonitoring data for perfluorooctanesulfonate to the environmental public health continuum

John L Butenhoff et al. Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Nov.

Abstract

Perfluorooctanesulfonate and its salts (PFOS) are derived from perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride, the basic chemical building block for many sulfonyl-based fluorochemicals used as surfactants and for their repellent properties. PFOS is highly persistent in the environment and has a long serum elimination half-life in both animals and humans. PFOS has been detected globally in the environment and in blood serum in various populations throughout the world, with the majority of human sampling done in the United States and Japan. The mechanisms and pathways leading to the presence of PFOS in human blood are not well characterized but likely involve both direct exposures to PFOS or chemicals and materials that can degrade to PFOS, either in the environment or from industrial and commercial uses. In 2000 the 3M Company, a major manufacturer, announced a phaseout of PFOS-related materials. Animal studies indicate that PFOS is well absorbed orally and distributes mainly in blood serum and the liver. Several repeat-dose toxicology studies in animals consistently demonstrated that the liver is the primary target organ. In addition there is a steep dose response for mortality in sexually mature rats and primates as well as in neonatal rats and mice exposed in utero. Several biomonitoring research needs that have been identified on PFOS include additional data from general populations pertaining to other matrices besides blood; matched serum and urine samples from humans and research animals; and comparison of whole blood, serum, and plasma concentrations from the same individuals.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. 3M Company 2000. Phase-out Plan for POSF-Based Products. Letter from William Weppner (3M Company) to Charles Auer (U.S. EPA). 7 July 2000. U.S. EPA docket AR-226-0600. Washington, DC:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    1. 3M Company 2001. Production of PFOS Derivatives. E-mail letter from Mike Santoro (3M Company) to Charles Auer (U.S. EPA). 2 March 2001. U.S. EPA docket AR-226-0997. Washington, DC:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    1. 3M Company 2002. 104-Week Dietary Chronic Toxicity and Carcinogenicity Study with Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid Potassium Salt (PFOS; T-6295) in Rats. Final Report. 3M Company, St. Paul, MN. 2 January 2002. U.S. EPA docket AR-226-0956. Washington, DC:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    1. 3M Company 2003. Environmental and Health Assessment of Perfluorooctanesulfonate and Its Salts. 3M Company, 20 August 2003. U.S. EPA docket AR-226-1486. Washington, DC:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
    1. Albertini R, Bird M, Doerrer N, Needham L, Robison S, Sheldon L, et al. The use of biomonitoring data in exposure and human health risk assessments. Environ Health Perspect. 2006;114:1755–1762. - PMC - PubMed

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources