PFHxA

Synonyms: Perfluorohexanoic Acid

CAS Number: 307-24-4

Sources of exposure:

Contaminated water and food; food packaging; stain- and water-resistant textiles; firefighting foam; household dust

Description:

PFHxA is a short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS). It may be released by fluorochemical manufacturing or formed through the breakdown of fluorotelomer chemicals used in food packaging, textiles, surface coatings, and firefighting foams. PFHxA is highly mobile in soil and water and extremely persistent in the environment. Its long-term health effects remain poorly understood because short-chain and replacement PFAS have not been studied as extensively as legacy PFAS such as PFOA and PFOS. Limited evidence of harm should not be interpreted as evidence of safety. 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:

No specific health concerns have been flagged for this chemical.

Banned/restricted lists:

  • EU REACH Annex XVII
  • EU REACH Annex XVII-PFHxA
  • salts
  • and related substances
  • Minnesota Amara's Law

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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.