Perfluorinated Compounds (PFCs) | A Stubborn Problem Among Persistent Organic Pollutants

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are persistent organic pollutants with hazards including neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, embryotoxicity, and carcinogenicity, and have been included in the “List of Key Controlled New Pollutants (2023 Edition)”.

In the field of food safety, PFCs can subtly transfer from contact materials (such as food packaging materials) and remain in food, entering the human body through the food chain. Once ingested, these compounds accumulate in the human body and may trigger a series of health risks, such as developmental toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and hepatorenal toxicity. In addition, the bioaccumulation of PFCs may also lead to progressive enrichment and amplification along the food chain, ultimately endangering the entire ecosystem.

PFCs exhibit extremely high persistence and widespread distribution in the environment. Because they are highly stable to physical and chemical actions such as heat, light, and hydrolysis, they are almost impossible to degrade in the natural environment. Therefore, PFC residues have become “regulars” in environmental media such as the atmosphere, water bodies, and soil. These difficult-to-degrade substances also have the ability to migrate over long distances and transfer across borders, causing regional and global pollution.

PFCs are also widely used in numerous industrial products and consumer goods, such as textile stain-repellent coatings, food processing aids, and cosmetic waterproofing agents. Both residues during use and release after product disposal may cause PFCs to enter the environment. In particular, some PFCs can be absorbed into the human body through the skin, posing potential risks to consumer health.

In view of the multiple threats PFCs pose to human health and environmental ecology, the Stockholm Convention has listed some long-chain PFCs as newly controlled persistent organic pollutants. Reducing their production and use, seeking alternatives, and strengthening pollution prevention and environmental remediation have become global challenges.

By determining perfluorinated compounds, governments and regulatory agencies can formulate stricter regulations and standards to limit the use and emission of these harmful substances. CATO provides perfluorinated compound testing reference standards to support the prevention and control of PFC pollution and help promote the development of safer consumer products and industrial practices.