Lower Limit PFOA Concentrations and the Effect on Lipid Membranes

Abstract

"Poly/Perfluorinated substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic molecules that threaten the health of communities and wildland environments. PFAS consist of carbon chains, usually 4 – 10 carbons in length, with fluorine atoms attached where hydrogen atoms would be in a hydrocarbon. Known as ‘forever chemicals’, PFAS do not break down easily in the environment and have shown an affinity for bioaccumulating in wildlife(1). They are commonly found in clothing water proofer, food packaging and firefighting foams. PFAS have also been found to cause numerous adverse health effects due to a lack of a C-F metabolic pathways in organisms. At present, the federal limit for PFOA is 4 ppt or 10-3 nM(2). It is not widely understood how PFAS at its lower limits affect biological material. This research will examine how nanomolar concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) affect model biological membranes. It is hypothesized that PFOA is partitioning the membranes of cells and will decrease membrane stability. This research will also examine whether PFOA-PFBS mixtures exhibit a Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) or aggregation in solution. Literature has suggested that PFAS do have a CMC, however the listed concentration varies greatly."