ScienceAugust 4, 2026

perfluorooctane

pur-floor-oh-OK-tayn

Definition

A synthetic, persistent chemical compound, specifically a sulfonic acid, that belongs to the group of PFAS substances often found as a pollutant in human blood.

Etymology

The name is derived from a chemical naming convention: 'per-' meaning fully saturated with fluorine, 'fluoro' for the fluorine atoms, and 'octane' for the eight-carbon chain at its core.

In the news

The article identifies perfluorooctane sulfonic acid as one of the specific environmental toxins successfully reduced in patient blood plasma following apheresis treatment.

Cholesterol Cleanup Cuts Chemicals, Plastics, Mystery Remains

Read the full article ↗

Mirage News

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