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PFBS

Synonyms: Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid

CAS Number: 375-73-5

Sources of exposure:

Contaminated drinking water; stain- and water-resistant products; industrial surfactants; firefighting foam; household dust

Description:

PFBS is a short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) used in some applications as an alternative to PFOS. It is associated with fluorinated surfactants, stain- and water-resistant treatments, industrial processes, electronics manufacturing, and certain firefighting foams. Exposure may occur through contaminated drinking water, food, soil, household dust, and products treated with fluorinated chemicals. PFBS generally accumulates in the body less and is eliminated more rapidly than PFOS, but it is highly mobile and extremely persistent in the environment. Toxicological studies have raised concerns about possible effects on the thyroid, kidneys, fetal development, and reproduction, but its long-term health effects are unknown. Because this PFAS is environmentally persistent and may remain mobile or bioaccumulative depending on its structure and exposure setting, the glossary applies a precautionary approach where long-term hazard and exposure information is limited.

Health concerns:

Organ System Toxicity

May cause organ damage and disease.

Irritant

May cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation.

Banned/restricted lists:

  • Minnesota Amara's Law
  • California AB 1817-PFAS in textile articles

HOW MILLION MARKER SCORES CHEMICALS

Million Marker's Ingredient Hazard Scoring uses multiple chemical databases and a science-backed scoring system to compute hazard scores for thousands of chemicals found in consumer products and listed on ingredient labels.

We identified key chemicals based on a database compiling dozens of authoritative sources, screening tools, and QSAR models.

Hazard scores within 11 different health categories (carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, reproductive toxicants, developmental toxicants, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, immunotoxicity, respiratory toxicity, skin/eye/respiratory irritants, and ecotoxicity).

They are weighted based on several factors, including strength of evidence for adverse impacts in humans, severity, and potential contamination.

For more information on our scoring methodology visit this page.