PFOA+&+PFOS

__PFOS & PFOA__

__What is a PFOA?__ PFOA stands for **Perfluorooctanoic acid** __or__ **C8** __or__ **Perfluorooctanoate**. • synthetic, stable perfluorinated carboxylic acid and Fluorosurfactant

__What are PFOS?__ PFOS stands for **Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid** __or__ **Perfluorooctane Sulfonate**. • man-made Fluorosurfactant

__HUH?__ __Fluorosurfactant__: synthetic organofluorine chemical compounds that have multiple fluorine atoms. __Organofluorine__ : organic chemical compounds that contain carbon and fluorine bonded in the polarized and remarkably strong carbon–fluorine bond.

__Abstract__ Perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, is a kind of toxin that is found in various, day-to-day objects such as cooking pots, paper products, and carpeting, among other products. Exposure to PFOS in humans has been found to cause thyroid disease. PFOS is a compound that falls into the category of fluorinated compounds. This is based on the eight carbon atoms that play a role in its makeup. Once in the blood stream, PFOS cannot be lowered. This means that even if one were exposed numerous times to only trace levels of PFOS, then, over time, it could build up and cause such complications as thyroid disease among others.The presence of PFOS, considering it causes, would be horrible for the environment as well as human health. If PFOS were present in a product, than that would mean that there is a slight chance of contracting thyroid disease or raise the risks of it.

The presence of PFOS can also cause problems for the environment. PFOS does not break down in the environment and is bio-accumulative. This means that PFOS does not break down in anything, really. It stays in the bloodstream, meaning PFOS, when added gradually over time in small amounts, causes the same affects as a large dose of it all at once. The economic implications of the use or banning of PFOS in products are few, if any. The reason for this is PFOS was used in the past in things like cooking pots among other things. It was later taken out of these products and there were no changes in the prices of these things because of the use of alternatives. The political implications, though, are that the government is doing little to monitor the kinds of substances that are likely to cause harm to the population. This would mean that it has little to no concern for its people, disregarding their health by allowing the use of PFOS.

The use of PFOS should be banned in products that are used in the general public or by any person whatsoever. Currently, it is used in little to no products that the general public has access to. Since this is so, there is no real need for action to be taken. Mostly, the threat that PFOS poses to people has been taken care of. Though this may be true, any remaining products with PFOS in them should be removed from shelves so that consumers are not put at risk for any of the affects PFOS can have on the human body.

__Background Information:__ Research for our informative benchmark taking place in the third quarter will focus on the known chemical Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid or perfluorooctane sulfonate, but simply known in general reference as PFOs. This is a chemical used among different products, yet the most known of incidents was a previous time when PFOs were being reported at positive levels in some cooking supply pans. The main directive to looking into this area of chemical research and awareness was sparked when reading that these toxins were linked to thyroid disease, but with a dire need for understanding because of the following, "It appears to get into the body by being swallowed or breathed in and there is no way of lowering levels in the blood." The usages for this chemical in products include treatments for fabric, carpet, upholstery, paper products, fire fighting foams, semi-conductors, non-stick coatings of various items, and in photographic and lithographic processes. PFOs are known as one classification of the hundreds of fluorinated compounds that are recognized to occur with natural stability in environments and products for industrial usage. The incorporation of PFOs began as early in the 1950s mainly by the United States of America later, but was then later cancelled and attempted to maintain control of such products pertaining to this toxin -- during 2000.

__Summary:__ The use of PFOS in common products cause problems for the general public. It may be easier to use in things such as tape, carpeting and other products, but it puts the consumer at risk for things such as diseases of the thyroid among other things. Even in small amounts, PFOS can cause problems because it is bio-accumulative. This would mean that if consumers were exposed to even a small amount of PFOS, it could cause complications to the consumer. Since this toxin has mostly been removed from consumer products, no really action is necessary, other than the removal of any PFOS remaining in products. This toxin is dangerous to the population and therefore should not be used in products that are used by the populace.

__PSA:__

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__Citations:__ n.a. Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs). Pollution in People. 2006. Web. 8 March 2010. http://pollutioninpeople.org/toxics/pfcs

n.a. EPA, DuPont Agree to Virtually Eliminate Pefluorinated Chemicals by 2015. Environmental Working Group. January 2006. Web. 8 March 2010. http://www.ewg.org/node/21303

Fei, Chunyuan; McLaughlin, Joseph; Lipworth, Loren; Olsen, Jørn. Maternal levels of perfluorinated chemicals and subfuncdity. Oxford Journal. 2009. Journal. http://www.oxfordjournals.org/eshre/press-release/freepdf/den490.pdf

Hope, J. (2010, January 21). Non-stick pan chemical is linked to thyroid disease. Daily Mail - Health, Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1244883/Non-stick-pan-chemical-linked-thyroid-disease.html