FLUOROCHEMICALS GO SHORT: Shorter perfluoroalkyl chain lengths improve ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE of versatile stain-, grease-, and water-repelling chemicals
Abstract
NEARLY ALL HUMANS, and a large proportion of wildlife, are contaminated with environmentally persistent long-chain perfluoroalkyl compounds. That revelation, around for a decade now, has brought dramatic change to the fluorochemicals industry. Spurred on by academic researchers and concerns from environmental and consumer advocacy groups, chemical companies have worked with the Environmental Protection Agency to phase out perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and are in the process of phasing out perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The companies are replacing PFOS, PFOA, and their associated compounds with shorter perfluoroalkyl chain compounds that impart the same functional properties as the longer chain compounds. Although the alternatives are just as persistent, they aren’t as bioaccumulative and appear to have a better toxicity profile—which is still being confirmed by testing—and are thus considered sound replacements. The chemical inertness of these fluorocarbons and their simultaneous hydrophobic and lipophobic character make them useful for manufacturing a variety of plastics and as surface treatments for industrial ...
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Since 2000 there has been an ongoing industrial transition to replace long-chain PFCAs, PFSAs and their potential precursors with alternatives.
“Since 2000 there has been an on-going industrial transition to replace long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSAs) and their precursors.”
From Fluorinated alternatives to long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs), perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSAs) and their potential precursors (2013) · cites this paper as Ritter, 2010
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- Authors
- RITTER, S. K.
- Affiliations
- C&EN WASHINGTON
- Corresponding author
- RITTER, STEPHEN K.
- ORCID
- RITTER, STEPHEN K.
- Venue
- Chemical & Engineering News Archive
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Published
- 2010-02-01
- Volume
- 88
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 12-17
- ISSN
- 0009-2347 (ISSN-L)
- 2157-4936
- OpenAlex
- W2326426016
- Cited by
- 136
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 3
- Type
- other
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Chemical & Engineering News (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Fluorine in Organic Chemistry
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Synthesis and properties of polymers
- Keywords
- perfluorinated compounds, PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid, bioaccumulation, toxicity, environmental contamination, EPA regulations, fluorinated polymers, surface treatment
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