per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

plural noun

variants or less commonly perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances

: synthetic chemicals that contain fluorinated carbon atoms, are used in consumer and industrial products for their desirable properties (such as water, stain, and fire resistance), are highly resistant to breakdown, and typically accumulate in soil and water as environmental pollutants : pfas

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are industrial pollutants ubiquitously distributed that persist in the environment.—

Rowan-Carroll et al.

PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, resist water, oil, heat, and grease. They've been used for decades in consumer products and industrial applications …—

John Hilliard

Chemicals called PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are sometimes called "forever chemicals" because they resist breaking down naturally in the environment, news reports said.—

Julie Washington

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals widely used in coatings and foams that resist oil, heat and water. There are thousands of types of PFAS, used in everything from dental floss to waterproof jackets and non-stick pans.—

Madeleine Cuff

—used in singular before another noun

per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance toxicity

Examples of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

This cookware set is free of potentially toxic chemicals, including heavy metals and PFAS (or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which may be harmful over time. —

Lizzy Briskin, People.com, 14 Oct. 2024 Launched in 2020, the ETH Zurich spin-off takes aim at per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): synthetic chemicals long used in everyday goods for their water, grease, and oil-resistant properties—and toxic to humans. —

Alex Christian, WIRED, 14 Oct. 2024 Other chemicals routinely found in food packaging and plastics are PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — used to repel oil and grease and withstand high temperatures. —

Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2024 During that time, forever chemicals gained a new scientific name — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, an acronym that is vexingly similar to the specific fluorochemical PFOS. —

Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 20 May 2024 For the public and even some environmental scientists, the temptation is to compare phthalates and bisphenols to PFAS—short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—another ubiquitous manufacturing chemical that messes with the hormonal system. —

Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 25 Apr. 2024 The new standard limits six types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, found in drinking water -- a move the EPA says will protect around 100 million people from exposure. —

Kelly Livingston, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2024 This morning, the agency announced national limits for six types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water. —

Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024 Studies have revealed the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in firefighting textiles. —

Monica Sanders, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

2007, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances was in 2007

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“Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/per-%20and%20polyfluoroalkyl%20substances. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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