Perfluorooctanesulfonates – Beneficial, Yet Pervasive, Problematic
Perflurooctanesulfonates or PFOs are simple compounds, not found in nature. They are derivatives of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. Their chemical structure includes atoms of carbon, fluorine, sulfur, and oxygen. Various ways of writing the acid's formula are seen in the illustration, top to bottom – the simplest to the most complex, followed by a ball-and-stick model. Commercial Sales Search for the acid online, and you will find it. It can be purchased as the free acid. However, it is also sold in compound form, such as the tetramethylammonium or tetraethylammonium salts. Useful? There's no question these substances are useful. Consider this... The structure of this acid is not unlike the chemical structure of Teflon®. Teflon is slippery stuff. Teflon, however, is a solid. What if a similar, only soluble, substance could be…