PFOA and PFOS in Drinking Water
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are two chemicals that are part of the family of chemicals known as PFAS. These are known as forever chemicals because of how long they take to naturally break down. This article will cover what PFOA and PFOS are, how it gets into your drinking water, what levels are dangerous, and how to test for it.
PFOS and PFOA at a Glance:
Health Effects: Increased risk of cancer, Hormonal interruption
MCL: 4 ppt
Test: Safe Home PFAS in Drinking Water Test Kit
Treatment: Filters such as nanofiltration or reverse osmosis
What are PFOA and PFOS?
PFOA and PFOS are what are known as PFOS, or “forever chemicals.” These are synthetic chemicals that are highly unreactive and take a long time to break down. It was widely used in manufacturing for items like food packaging, non-stick pans, household products, and fire extinguishing foam.
PFOA and PFOS are no longer used in the United States, but because they break down so slowly, they have built up in the environment over time. PFOA and PFOS are found in over 45% of all US water supplies.
Negative Effects of PFOA and PFOS in Drinking Water
PFOA and PFOS can cause a variety of negative health effects including:
- Increased risk of cancer
- Reproduce damage and decreased fertility.
- Developmental delays in children.
- Damage to the immune system
- Increased risk of obesity
What level of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water is dangerous?
The EPA has set the MCL (Maximum Contaminant Limit) for PFOA and PFOS as 4 ppt. MCL is the highest amount of contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. These limits are set on public health standards as well as the cost of treatment.
Even though the MCL is four ppt, the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal is zero. This is because the latest research shows that there is no level of exposure to these contaminants without health risk.
While the public drinking supply can contain up to four ppt, you should aim for zero in your home’s drinking water.
How to Test for PFOA and PFOS
To test for PFOA and PFOS, we recommend the Safe Home PFAS in Drinking Water Test Kit.
With this kit you’ll collect your samples with the provided bottles and then ship it off to have it tested at a laboratory that is certified in all fifty states.
It doesn’t only test for PFOA and PFOS, but eighteen total PFAS chemicals. Giving you exact concentrations of each contaminant.
What to do if PFOA and PFOS are present in your water?
Even though PFAS chemicals are known as “Forever Chemicals” and will not naturally leave the water supply, they can be filtered out. Nanofiltration and carbon filters are often rated to remove PFOA and PFOS.
Just check with the manufacturer specification to see if it is rated for PFAS chemicals since not all filters have the same specs.
You will also have to decide if you want a point-of-entry or point-of-use filter. Point-of-entry will remove PFOA and PFOS from your entire home’s water supply but will be more expensive and have a more involved installation process.
While point-of-use will only filter out contaminants at one location, but it is more affordable.
