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Learn about
Forever Chemicals (PFAS)

Science-backed information to help you understand PFAS, their potential health impacts, and how to reduce your exposure.

Source-cited·Science-backed·Plain language·Actionable
The Basics

What are PFAS?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of thousands of man-made chemicals built around one of the strongest bonds in organic chemistry: carbon–fluorine. That bond makes PFAS remarkably resistant to heat, water, oil, and degradation which is exactly why industry has used them since the 1940s in non-stick coatings, water-repellent fabrics, firefighting foams, and countless industrial processes.

The same durability that makes PFAS useful also makes them persistent. They break down extremely slowly, if at all, earning the nickname "forever chemicals." Over decades of widespread use they have accumulated in water, soil, wildlife and people. CDC biomonitoring has found PFAS in the blood of about 97% of Americans.

Not all PFAS are alike. "Long-chain" legacy compounds like PFOA and PFOS were largely phased out of U.S. manufacturing but remain in the environment and in people because they leave the body slowly, with half-lives measured in years. Newer replacement compounds are still being studied.

A PFAS molecule
PFOA: a carbon backbone armoured in fluorine. That carbon–fluorine bond is why it never breaks down.
The regulatory story

How we got here

Eighty years separate the first non-stick pan from the first enforceable US drinking-water limit. The timeline below is the short version; color marks what kind of action each was, because they are not interchangeable: an industry phase-out is voluntary, a treaty listing binds countries, a hazard classification sets no limit, and only an EPA rule sets a number a US utility must meet.

The replacement pattern. Each restriction on a long-chain compound has been followed by a short-chain or ether replacement from the same family: PFOS to PFBS, PFOA to GenX and ADONA, legacy sulfonamides to fluorotelomers. The replacements generally do have shorter biological half-lives but they also have far thinner toxicological databases, are more mobile in water, and are harder to remove by treatment. Shorter residence in the body is not the same as lower hazard.
Everyday Pathways

Where Forever Chemicals show up

Dozens of everyday routes lead to exposure. These four reach almost everyone.

Drinking water

Contaminated municipal supplies and private wells are the most common exposure route in the U.S. and private wells fall outside federal limits.

Fish, meat + dairy

PFAS build up in fish from contaminated waters, and farmland treated with contaminated biosolids can pass them into milk, beef, and eggs.

Packaging + cookware

Grease-resistant wrappers, takeout containers, and microwave popcorn bags plus older non-stick coatings built on PFAS chemistry.

Home + personal care

Water-repellent fabrics, carpets, and household dust, alongside waterproof makeup and dental floss.

Why People Test

Health questions that
make it personal

The health areas below follow The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) consensus report on PFAS exposure and testing.

Why People Test 6 health areas
Fertility & family planning Sufficient evidence Higher PFAS exposure is associated with reduced infant birth weight and pregnancy complications such as hypertension. NASEM rates the fetal-growth evidence as sufficient.
Thyroid function Limited / suggestive PFAS can interfere with thyroid hormone signaling, and studies link exposure to altered hormone levels an active area of research.
Immune function Sufficient evidence The strongest-documented effect: reduced antibody response to vaccines, especially in children. NASEM rates this evidence as sufficient.
Cholesterol + liver Sufficient evidence PFAS exposure is consistently associated with elevated cholesterol; changes in liver enzymes are also reported across studies.
Kidney health Sufficient evidence Long-term exposure to legacy PFAS is associated with kidney effects, including kidney cancer for certain compounds.
Peace of mind Your baseline There are no symptoms to watch for most people simply want to know. A baseline test turns worry into a number you can track and improve.

PFAS research keeps growing. If any of these matter to you, knowing your exposure gives you a place to start.

What We Test

One chemical family.
Fourteen industries.

Every sector on this wheel sheds compounds from our 40-PFAS panel. Click any point to explore.

The full panel

All 40 PFAS we measure. The ones this sector sheds light up; the rest dim.

01 / 14
Sector

Where you meet it

The chemistry

Which of our 40 PFAS
Status:
Worth knowing:
Explore all 40 compounds →
The Prevention Advantage

Catch exposure
when it matters most.

Forever Chemicals don’t leave quickly. Every PFAS has its own half-life: the time your body needs to clear half of it. Some take days. Others take years.

Tap any compound to see how long it takes to clear.

Only the PFAS with an established human half-life are shown. Compiled from ATSDR and peer-reviewed studies the same reference set behind your report. A half-life is the time to clear half; full clearance takes several half-lives. The 26 compounds without a firm human value are itemised in your full report.

Next Step

Ready to understand your exposure?

Our at-home test measures 40 PFAS compounds to give you a clear picture of your exposure.

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