Hard PFAS Quiz

Incorrect.

It’s the Faroe Islands.

Much of this work has been led by researcher Dr. Philippe Grandjean.

Incorrect.

PFOA and PFOS are the two most common PFAS in drinking water and people’s blood. Although major U.S. manufacturers have agreed to phase out PFOA and PFOS in consumer products, other countries still produce them, and many companies have been replacing them with other PFAS, such as GenX, that raise similar health concerns.

Incorrect.

It’s false.

PFNA, PFHxS, and GenX each have a standard of 10 parts per trillion. The group limit for PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and GenX combined is a unitless measure known as a hazard index. The hazard index is a relatively novel approach to address PFAS as a mixture of co-occurring chemicals.

Incorrect.

EPA’s CompTox database currently identifies over 12,000 compounds as PFAS. You can sometimes see the count as “>4700” or “>9000.”

Incorrect.

It’s true.

Incorrect.

PFAS levels have decreased in the general population since the 2000s. This is partly because of the phase-out of PFAS. More and more actions to decrease the general population’s exposure to PFAS have led to these results, too!

Incorrect.

Firefighters can be exposed to PFAS when using PFAS-containing firefighting foams. These are special foams used for putting out fuel fires. They can also be exposed from their turnout gear, which is treated with PFAS to make it water-resistant.

Incorrect.

It’s six: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, GenX, PFNA, and PFBS.