Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)CAS 335-67-1
The legacy long-chain PFAS — kidney and testicular cancer, immune suppression, half-life 3-5 years.
Toxic Chemical Databases
Substance-specific listings — these flags are for Perfluorooctanoic Acid alone, not for the broader family.
Chemical Type
Long-Chain C8 Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acid
Chemical Description
PFOA was the polymerization aid behind PTFE manufacturing for half a century. After community-level drinking-water contamination studies in West Virginia and Ohio established kidney and testicular cancer signals, EPA phased out U.S. production by 2015. The molecule has a serum half-life of 3-5 years in humans; nearly every American has detectable PFOA in their blood. IARC classified PFOA as Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans) in 2023.
Biological Activity
Severity scores specific to this substance, NOT the parent family average. Differences between siblings are real and meaningful.
Top Health Consequences
- Kidney and testicular cancer — IARC Group 1 (2023)
- Reduced antibody response to vaccines
- Elevated cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk
- Pregnancy-induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia
- Bioaccumulation with 3-5 year human serum half-life
Pathways of Exposure
- Drinking water contamination (the dominant route in affected communities)
- Ingestion of legacy non-stick cookware coating breakdown
- Diet — bioaccumulation in fish, meat, and dairy
- Inhalation of fluoropolymer degradation products
Building Materials with Perfluorooctanoic Acid
Listed alphabetically — product categories where this specific substance appears.
Architectural PTFE Membrane Roofing
Fluoropolymer-Coated Architectural Fabric
Legacy Non-Stick Cookware Coatings
Stain-Resistant Carpet Treatments
How We Keep Perfluorooctanoic Acid Out of a House
Perfluorooctanoic Acid is one of the substances our screening is built to catch. A healthy home is won in the specification and the submittal review, long before anyone opens a bucket on site.
If you want a house specified this way from the start, or an existing house assessed for what is already in it, that is the work we do. Earth Bound Homes builds in Menlo Park, Redwood City, San Mateo County and across the San Francisco Bay Area.