PFOA
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Chemistry
| Stands for | Perfluorooctanoic acid |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
PFOA stands for Perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemistry abbreviation.
Eight-carbon PFAS chemical formerly used to manufacture PTFE (Teflon) and other fluoropolymers. Releases from factories, notably DuPont's plant near Parkersburg, West Virginia, contaminated drinking water, and the compound lingers in the human body for years.
Example: Blood tests in the town showed PFOA levels far above the national average.
Usage notes
Also called C8. Litigation by residents near Parkersburg funded a science panel that linked PFOA to kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease and other conditions, a story dramatized in the 2019 film Dark Waters. Major US manufacturers phased out PFOA by 2015, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified it as carcinogenic to humans in 2023.
Related abbreviations
More chemistry abbreviations
- PC – Polycarbonate
- PCB – Polychlorinated biphenyl
- PE – Polyethylene
- PEG – Polyethylene glycol (laxative and bowel preparation)
- PET – Polyethylene terephthalate
- PFAS – Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances
- PFOS – Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid
- pH – Potential of hydrogen
- pKa – Acid dissociation constant (negative logarithm)
- PLA – Polylactic acid
- PMMA – Poly(methyl methacrylate)
- PP – Polypropylene