PERFLUORINATED POLLUTANT PUZZLE

摘要

The saga of some pollutants starts with a synthetic chemical that is produced commercially for years before it is linked to health problems. Polychlorinat-ed biphenyls (PCBs), widely used as insulating fluids for decades before they were banned in the mid-1970s, are an example. A similar but more complicated story is emerging for the compound perfluoro-octanoic acid. PFOA is used in the manufacture of fluoropolymers including DuPont's Teflon and in breathable, waterproof fabrics. During the manufacture of these materials, PFOA is used as a surfactant but is not incorporated into the end product.