New per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) substitutes and their toxicity

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of fluorinated hydrocarbon compounds. PFAS have found important applications across many industrial sectors, including textiles, fire-fighting foams, cookware, fluoropolymer production such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), paints, lubricants, refrigerants, and food packaging. Over time, the negative impacts of PFAS on the environment and living organisms have become evident. The unsustainability of the current situation is reflected in the development and production of new PFAS alternatives. The emerging PFAS alternatives are promising reduced toxicity, bioaccumulation, and persistence. This thesis documents the phase-out of legacy PFAS - e.g., perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) - and analyzes the trend of replacing regulated PFAS with short- and ultra-short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids, fluorotelomers, and per- and polyfluoroalkylether acids. It focuses on assessing the potential risks and benefits for human health. This work summarizes current legislation and evaluates toxicological data of new alternatives compared to regulated PFAS.Attention is also given to non-fluorinated alternatives, as findings show that many new replacements still exhibit persistence and toxicity,...