Commonly, an individual fluorotelomer alcohol molecule is named by the number of carbons that are fluorinated versus the number that are hydrocarbon-based. For example, 8:2 fluorotelomer alcohol would represent a molecule with 8 fluorinated carbons and a 2 carbon ethyl alcohol group.
- Structure: (CnF2n+1CH2CH2OH, where n = 6, 8, 10, 12)
"6:2 FTOH is a common component of fluorinated additives used in the U.S. The Food and Drug administration’s food contact notification database identifies 10 fluorinated additives used to greaseproof paper products that contain 6:2 FTOH. Researchers recently reported in the journal Environmental Science and Technology that 6:2 FTOH was the major fluorinated compound detected in US disposable dishware."
CEH Factsheet - Fluorinated Additives
FTOH & Dental Fluorosis
The followings studies show elevated fluoride blood levels, as well as dental fluorosis, in the animals tested. [Please note that all were conducted by Dupont staff - toxicity is downplayed throughout.]
Anand SS, Serex TL, Carpenter C, Donner EM, Hoke R, Buck RC, Loveless SE - "Toxicological assessment of tridecafluorohexylethyl methacrylate (6:2 FTMAC) Toxicology 292(1):42-52 (2012)
"The changes noted in teeth (altered mineralization; retention of basophilic material) and femur (increased mineralization) in all treated groups were not associated with clinical signs or microscopic changes and were likely related to free fluoride formed from 6:2 FTMAC metabolism. Plasma (3-4-fold) and urine (30-50-fold) fluoride was higher in treated groups versus controls."
Fasano WJ, Carpenter SC, Gannon SA, Snow TA, Stadler JC, Kennedy GL, Buck RC, Korzeniowski SH, Hinderliter PM, Kemper RA - "Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of 8-2 fluorotelomer alcohol in the rat" Toxicol Sci 91(2):341-55 (2006) doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfj160
https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article ... 41/1656725
"In the rat, metabolism of 8-2 FTOH involved dehydrofluorination. These dehydrofluorination metabolic steps likely resulted in excess concentrations of fluoride in plasma at 125 mg/kg/day (∼ 200–460 ng/ml) compared to controls (∼ 100 ng/ml) following subchronic exposure (DuPont-9478, unpublished) and caused the toxicologically significant degeneration-disorganization of enamel organ ameloblasts cells; high urinary fluoride concentrations were also noted in the 90-day study. The tooth lesion, along with the increased incidence of striated teeth, was concluded to be consistent with fluoride toxicosis (Reddy and Hayes, 1989)."
Ladics GS, Kennedy GL, O'Connor J, Everds N, Malley LA, Frame SR, Gannon S, Jung R, Roth T, Iwai H, Shin-Ya S - "90-day oral gavage toxicity study of 8-2 fluorotelomer alcohol in rats" Drug Chem Toxicol 31(2):189-216 (2008)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18330782/
"In both males and females, plasma fluorine levels were increased at 125 mg/kg and urinary fluorine was elevated at > or =5 mg/kg. Degeneration/disorganization of enamel organ ameloblast cells was observed at 125 mg/kg in males, but not females."
NOTE: At 125 mg/kg, almost ALL animals had striated teeth (24/25). "This finding became apparent following approximately 50 days of dosing with 8-2 fluorotelomer alcohol."
Ladics GS, Stadler JC, Makovec GT, Everds NE, Buck RC -"Subchronic toxicity of a fluoroalkylethanol mixture in rats" Drug Chem Toxicol 28(2):135-58 (2005)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15865257/
"Thyroid follicular hypertrophy was present at 100 and 250 mg kg(-1) day(-1) but was not present after recovery....microscopic tooth lesions (ameloblast degeneration/disorganization) occurred at 100 and 250 mg kg(-1) day(-1) and persisted with decreased severity throughout recovery...Under the conditions of the study, the no-observed adverse effect level for this mixture was 25 mg kg(-1) day(-1) for subchronic toxicity."
NOTE: Fluoride levels were elevated in plasma even at 25 mg/kg/day (double the controls). Further, authors wrote: "The presence of fluoride in urine 3 months after exposure suggests that fluoride-containing compounds are slowly being released from tissue sites." In other words, increased urinary fluoride was being found months after exposure.
- The authors (DuPont) then attempt to downplay the significance of this in the following paragraph, by citing the usual false statements about benefits and "safe daily fluoride intakes":
"The apparent accumulation and subsequent slow release of fluoride containing compounds from tissue sites may explain the persistent nature of the tooth alterations observed in our study. Importantly, although fluorosis occurs at high levels of free fluoride, low fluoride levels are considered beneficial. For more than 50 years, fluoride in drinking water has been recommended to aid in protection against dental caries, with safe daily fluoride intakes indicated by the National Research Council, American Dental Association, U.S. EPA, and the World Health Organization (Kaminsky et al., 1990)."
Mukerji P, Rae, JC, Buck RC - "Oral repeated-dose systemic and reproductive toxicity of 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol in mice" Toxicology Reports 2:130–143 (2015)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28962345/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5598097/
"While the severity of the effects was generally greater in mice than previously reported in CD rats, the overall NOAELs were identical in both species, 5 mg/kg/day for systemic toxicity and 25 mg/kg/day for offspring viability/growth....6:2 FTOH-related changes in the incisor teeth, consistent with fluoride exposure, were present in males and females at 100 mg/kg/day. These changes included degeneration and atrophy of ameloblastic epithelium, accentuation of the normal laminar pattern of dentin and an increase in observed incomplete decalcification of enamel and/or dentin. Degeneration and atrophy of ameloblasts was characterized by segmental disorganization and attenuation of ameloblastic epithelium of the incisor teeth. Lamination of dentin was characterized by the presence of concentric basophilic rings within the dentin of these teeth. Incomplete decalcification of enamel and dentin was characterized by an increase in the observed presence of basophilic, mineralized debris in the enamel space of the incisor between the dentin and the gingiva."
Serex T, Anand S, Munley S, Donner EM, Frame SR, Buck RC, Loveless SE - "Toxicological evaluation of 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol" Toxicology 319: 1–9 (2014)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... via%3Dihub
6:2 FTOH has been shown to rapidly metabolize with formation of fluoride (Mukerji et al., 2015; Gannon et al., 2010, 2012).
Finlay C, Jepson G, Kennedy G, Stadler J - "Development of a mammalian screen to evaluate absorption and persistence of fluorinated chemicals" Toxicologist 60:291 (2001)
Gannon SA, Mawn MP, Munley SM, Buck RC, Serex TL - "Toxicokinetic evaluation of 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol and metabolites in rats following 90-days of oral exposure" Toxicologist 126 (1) (2012) 402.
Gannon SA, Nabb DL, Snow TA, Mawn MP, Serex TL, Buck RC - "In vitro metabolism of 6–2 fluorotelomer alcohol in rat, mouse and human hepatocytes" Toxicologist 114 (97) (2010)
OTHERS:
MSDS: VisionCoat2000 (Perfluoro Compounds, C5-18)
https://www.premierpumps.com.au/uploade ... t_2000.pdf
"Inhalation of thermal decomposition products may cause severe irritation of the respiratory tract, retention of fluid and swelling in the lungs (oedema) and damage bones and teeth (fluorosis)."
MSDS: Perfluoro-n-octane
https://www.alfa.com/en/msds/?language= ... sku=A17741
"Inhalation of high vapor concentrations may cause symptoms like headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea and vomiting. Chronic inhalation and ingestion may cause chronic fluoride poisoning (fluorosis) characterized by weight loss, weakness, anemia, brittle bones,and stiff joints. The toxicological properties have not been fully investigated."
THYROID
Shi G, Cui Q, Zhang H, Cui R, Guo Y, Dai J - "Accumulation, Biotransformation, and Endocrine Disruption Effects of Fluorotelomer Surfactant Mixtures on Zebrafish" Chem Res Toxicol (2019) 32(7):1432-1440
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31251046/
(T3 and T4 levels decreased in the 50 and 500 μg/L females and increased T4 level in 500 μg/L exposed males.)
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PFAS & Dental Fluorosis
Fujiwara N, Yamashita S, Okamoto M, Cooley MA, Ozaki K, Everett ET, Suzuki M - "Perfluorooctanoic acid-induced cell death via the dual roles of ROS-MAPK/ERK signaling in ameloblast-lineage cells" Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 260:115089 (2023). doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115089
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10330907/
"Our results in this in vitro study suggest that in addition to fluoride, PFOA itself could affect enamel formation."