Your PFAS blood levels will tell you the amount of PFAS in your body. PFAS blood levels are determined by how much PFAS you have been exposed to minus how much PFAS have left your body (also called excretion).
Potential Health Effects
In epidemiology studies, PFOA has been associated with decreased antibodies in infants and young children, lower birth weights, increased cholesterol in adults, and increased liver enzymes in adults.
Biomonitoring assesses people's exposure to chemicals, in this case, by measuring PFOA in blood. Biomonitoring can tell us about exposure to PFOA from drinking water and other sources. It can also provide information on how levels of PFOA in one community compare to people living elsewhere.
However, PFOA can be measured in blood for years after exposure. PFOA levels decline in blood naturally by about half every 2-4 years, assuming there is no additional exposure.
Several labs in North America currently offer PFAS blood testing to individuals: AXYS Analytical, EmpowerDX, and Eurofins. AXYS and Eurofins measure PFAS in blood serum, and EmpowerDX offers a home finger-prick test.
Over time, our bodies can naturally eliminate PFAS mostly through urine, but the rate of elimination is slow and varies depending on the specific type of PFAS. Some studies suggest that it can take several years for the body to eliminate certain types of PFAS.
These blood tests can be expensive – they range from $400-$600 depending on the lab and the number of PFAS that are tested for. Health insurance may or may not cover the costs for testing. For more information on the cost of testing, visit pfas-exchange.org.
Reverse Osmosis: Reverse osmosis (RO) is an effective method of micro-filtration. It is known for the removal of ions, chemicals, and micro-sediment filtration via a semipermeable membrane. Commonly, the reverse osmosis technology is a very effective treatment of drinking water to remove PFOA and PFOS.
The independent C8 Science Panel has linked C8 exposure to cancer and other serious diseases. The C8 class action settlement entitles you to request a free C8 blood test AND free doctor's visit for medical testing to detect serious diseases that might be caused by your C8 exposure.
These compounds are now so ubiquitous, that an estimated 98% of the U.S. population has detectable concentrations in their blood. That's concerning, since studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS may be linked to harmful health effects, both in animals and humans.
Studies in humans
Some of these studies have suggested an increased risk of testicular cancer and kidney cancer with increased PFOA exposure. Studies have also suggested a possible link to thyroid cancer, but the increases in risk have been small and could have been due to chance.
Fish and shellfish can take up PFOA from water contaminated with the chemical. PFOA can be released into the air and into food from some older non-stick cookware and some new imported non-stick cookware.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (together known as PFAS) are a class of man-made chemicals, not found naturally in the environment. PFOA (sometimes known as “C8”) and PFOS are the two PFAS that have been the most extensively produced and therefore are the most studied of these chemicals.
Blood testing shows the amount of PFAS in your blood at the time of your blood test. It does not show how your levels have changed over time, how you were exposed to PFAS, or what your current exposure is.
Are Brita Pitcher Filters Certified to Reduce PFAS? Yes, the Brita Elite Filter is certified under NSF/ANSI 53 to reduce perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—specifically PFOS and PFOA—in drinking water. The Standard Brita filter is not certified for the removal of PFOS or PFOA.
“The ability to use a finger-prick device to measure PFAS exposure opens up new research opportunities, and importantly, allows people in the general public to test their own blood without having to be part of an academic research study,” said Heather Stapleton, the Ronie-Richele Garcia-Johnson Distinguished Professor ...
For six disease categories, the Science Panel concluded that there was a Probable Link to C8 exposure: diagnosed high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular cancer, kidney cancer, and pregnancy-induced hypertension.
There is no current treatment to remove PFAS from the body; this means that preventing and/or reducing future exposures is the most important step you can take to protect yourself and your family.
If this is something that you are experiencing, your condition may get better with time, as PFOA leaves your body. Will my PFOA blood level go down? Yes. Repeated studies have shown that when people stop drinking contaminated water, their PFOA blood level goes down.
FAQs • Does boiling the water remove PFOA and/or PFOS? Does boiling the water remove PFOA and/or PFOS? No, boiling water does not remove PFOA or PFOS.
C8, otherwise known as perfluorooctanoic acid and/or PFOA, belongs to a manmade group of chemicals called perfluorochemicals (PFCs). C8 is a chemical that resists heat, water, oil, grease and stains.
Costs also vary based on whether you want to test for one or two hormones or you need a full hormone panel. The least expensive kits cost as little as $45, while the most comprehensive kits, which test for more than 10 hormones, cost around $200.
Blood tests measuring PFAS can help doctors manage risks for patients who have been significantly exposed to the chemicals—but the tests cost up to $600, and insurance generally doesn't cover them.