PFAS
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or ‘PFAS,’ are a group of more than 4700 synthetic chemicals that have been in commercial production since the 1940s. They are used widely as surfactants and are found in everyday products including non-stick cookware, stain and water repellent textiles and clothing, food packaging, firefighting foam, electronics and even some dental floss.
Also known as “forever chemicals”, most PFAS are extremely persistent in the environment, and their water solubility allows them to penetrate soil. Some PFAS also accumulate over time to increased concentrations in humans, animals and the environment. They are dispersed through air and water, to such an extent that they have even been found in remote environments of the Arctic and its polar bears, and open ocean waters. PFAS have also been found in fish, shellfish, vegetables and other produce grown in contaminated soil or water.
The main sources of PFAS in the environment are manufacturing facilities, storage and waste processing facilities, and aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) used at airports, military bases and other firefighting training sites.
Our Capabilities
Eurofins Environment Testing Australia has a range of PFAS testing suites for water; soil, sediment, and biosolids; air, including soil vapour and stack emissions; blood and biological tissues, food, and consumer products.
For more information on our NATA-accredited methods for PFAS analysis, refer to our Analytical Method Summary or contact EnviroSales@eurofins.com.
For high resolution mass spectrometry-based test methods or custom analysis, contact Specialty Services team.
PFAS Human Exposure Testing (EmpowerDX)
PFAS contamination is widespread throughout the developed world. In Australia & New Zealand where there are no PFAS manufacturing facilities, human exposure can occur in the workplace, for example, firefighters and military personnel who use AFFF; or through diet. For the general population, PFAS exposure is generally through consumption of contaminated drinking water (although this is regulated), fruits and vegetables grown in contaminated soil, or through consumption of seafood.
The health effects of PFAS are still being researched, however evidence has linked exposure to some PFAS to developmental issues, cancer, liver damage, immune system disruption, resistance to vaccines, thyroid diseases, impaired fertility and high cholesterol. PFAS have also been dubbed “possibly carcinogenic” to humans by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC).
In Australia PFAS has been found in human serum, umbilical cord blood and follicular fluid. In the United States, where large, population-wide health surveys are conducted, PFAS was present in the blood of 97% of US citizens. Smaller studies conducted in Australia report similar results.
With public concern about the health effects of PFAS outpacing the regulatory framework to address these complex chemicals, the scientific community stepped in and worked to develop an approach to assess the prevalence of PFAS in the environment.
Traditional PFAS testing in blood would require a blood draw conducted by a healthcare practitioner. Through a Eurofins empowerDX and Eurofins Environment Testing collaboration, we have launched the first direct-to-consumer PFAS Exposure™ Test to identify PFAS in whole blood samples.
The kit is an all-in-one solution that enables participants to self-collect samples at home or work and send them directly to the laboratory for analysis. The PFAS Exposure Kit is self-administered and only requires a simple finger prick.