chemical information
CAS RN:

2058-94-8

Chemical Class:

Perfluorochemical (PFC)

Chemical SubClass

Perfluorinated carboxylic acid

Found in these people:

Anonymous Adult 2, Anonymous Adult 3, Anonymous Adult 5, Anonymous Adult 4, Anonymous Adult 6, Anonymous Adult 7, Anonymous Teen 1, Anonymous Adult 9, Anonymous Adult 12, Anonymous Adult 13, Anonymous Adult 11, Anonymous Adult 10, Anonymous Adult 14, Anonymous Adult 15, Anonymous Adult 16, Anonymous Adult 17, Anonymous Adult 18, Anonymous Adult 20, Anonymous Adult 21, Baby #7, Baby #8, Baby #9, Baby #10, Anonymous Adult 1, Kathy Fowler, U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter, Participant #2, Participant #8, Kelsey Wirth, Michael Goodstein, Margie Roswell, Nina Damato, Nora Pouillon, Stephanie Berger, Participant #1, Fred Gellert, Jesse Johnson, Anonymous Adult, Winsome McIntosh, Participant #18, Participant #2, Participant #20, Alicia Wittink, Irene Crowe, Martha Davis, Anonymous Adult RN7, Dr. Beverly Wright, Adult #108, Adult B, Vivian Chang, Jennifer Hill-Kelley, Jean Salone

Found in these locations:

Chicago, IL; Newton, MA; Fredericksburg, VA; Washington, DC; New York, NY; Lamont, FL; Atlanta, GA; Mountain View, CA; Stanford, CA; Palo Alto, CA; San Francisco, CA; Berkeley, CA; Alamo, CA; Fallbrook, CA; Rockville, MD; Upstate New York, NY; Silver Spring, MD; Cambridge, MA; Bethesda, MD; Baltimore, MD; CA, USA; Belvedere, CA; VA, USA; CO, USA; Littleton, CO; New Orleans, LA; Oakland, CA; Green Bay, WI; Corpus Christi, TX

Exposure routes:

Stain- and grease-proof coatings on food packaging, couches, carpets.


Summary

Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) is a breakdown product of stain- and grease-proof coatings on food packaging, couches, and carpets, including Stainmaster. The chemical is part of a family of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates, all with structures similar to the well-known chemical contaminant PFOA, but with carbon chain lengths ranging from 4 to 15 carbons. PFUnA is the 11 carbon version of PFOA.

All of these perfluoroalkyl carboxylates are highly persistent. But those with carbon chain lengths of at least 8 carbons are of particular concern because they are known to be bioaccumulative, globally distributed pollutants. These chemicals have been found in human and wildlife blood and tissues from around the globe, even in remote locations such as the arctic (3M 2000; Bossi 2005; Guruge 2005; Smithwick 2005; Van de Vijver 2005; Lange 2006).

While there has been very little research done on the toxicity of PFUnA itself, PFOA has been studied extensively. Animal studies have linked PFOA exposure to low birth weight, decreased growth, decreased pituitary size, increased number of dead or cannibalized pups, decreased breast-feeding, decreased liver size, delayed puberty, altered reproductive cycles and hormone levels, decreased kidney size, immune system problems, cancer, and death (EPA 2002; York 2002). In January of 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Science Advisory Board recommended that PFOA be classified as a likely human carcinogen.

In January of 2006, the EPA asked eight manufacturers that use PFOA to reduce production 95% by 2010, and to stop using it altogether by 2015. But because PFOA never breaks down, this means that every PFOA molecule on the planet is here to stay; opportunities for humans (and other animals) to be exposed continuously to PFOA will continue even after production ceases. Furthermore, similar action has not been taken on chemicals that break down into PFOA or its related perfluoroalkyl carboxylates, making EPA's action even less effective for actually making meaningful reductions in exposures to these compounds.


PFUnA (Perfluoroundecanoic acid)

Breakdown product of stain- and grease-proof coatings on food packaging, couches, carpets. An 11-carbon version of PFOA; persistent; bioaccumulative.

PFUnA (Perfluoroundecanoic acid) has been found in 53 of the 88 people tested in EWG/Commonweal studies. It has also been found in 174 of the 2,368 people tested in CDC biomonitoring studies.



Results for PFUnA (Perfluoroundecanoic acid)

PFUnA (Perfluoroundecanoic acid) was measured in different units for some of the studies. Overall it was found in 53 of 88 people tested in EWG/Commonweal studies. The bars below are grouped by units:

in blood serum (wet weight)

Showing results from EWG/Commonweal Study #7, consumer product chemicals in adults and teens, EWG Study #6, consumer product chemicals in mothers and daughters, Dateline NBC Families, Adult Minority Leader Report, Dateline NBC Families, Pets Project, EWG Study #8, chemicals in mother and 2 children, Other Body Burden Studies

EWG/Commonweal results

  • geometric mean: ng/mL (wet weight) in blood serum
  • found in 38 of 57 people in the group

CDC biomonitoring results

  • geometric mean: 0.212 ng/mL (wet weight) in blood serum
  • found in 174 of 2368 people in the group
ng/mL (wet weight) in blood serum 6.9


PFUnA (Perfluoroundecanoic acid) results

in whole blood (wet weight)

Showing results from EWG/Commonweal Study #4, industrial chemicals and pesticides in cord blood, Pollution in Minority Newborns, EWG Study #3, industrial chemicals and pesticides in adults

EWG/Commonweal results

  • geometric mean: 0.00296 ng/g (wet weight) in whole blood
  • found in 7 of 23 people in the group
ng/g (wet weight) in whole blood 0.149


PFUnA (Perfluoroundecanoic acid) results

in blood serum (wet weight)

Showing results from EWG Study #5, Teflon and mercury in blood in adults and teens

EWG/Commonweal results

  • geometric mean: 0.562 ng/g (wet weight) in blood serum
  • found in 8 of 8 people in the group
0.115 ng/g (wet weight) in blood serum 1.49


PFUnA (Perfluoroundecanoic acid) results