PFAS are a large class of chemicals used in water, oil, and heat-resistant coatings on products. Exposure to PFAS is associated with numerous health outcomes, with children being especially vulnerable. Learn about where PFAS are found and how to protect your family from exposure.
What are PFAS?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) comprise a very large class of chemicals used in water, oil, and heat-resistant coatings on products. PFAS are considered “forever chemicals,” meaning that they do not break down in the environment and accumulate in water sources, wildlife, and our bodies. There are thousands of PFAS that may be present in consumer products and in the environment, but very few have been comprehensively tested for toxicity.
PFAS exposure is widespread in the United States due to its extensive use and environmental contamination. Studies conducted by the CDC found that a large percentage of Americans have PFAS in their blood.
PFAS sources of exposure
PFAS are found in many consumer products, including some types of:
- Fast food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, candy wrappers
- Nonstick cookware
- Stain-resistant coatings on carpets and upholstery
- Waterproof clothing and footwear
- Cleaning and personal care products
- Cosmetics
- Dental floss
- Paints and varnishes
- Sealants
- Artificial turf glass blades and backing
You can also be exposed to PFAS through:
- Drinking contaminated water
- Using nonstick pans that have PFAS to cook food
- Eating foods packaged in containers that use PFAS
- Breathing in contaminated dust
- Eating meat of animals exposed to PFAS
Health outcomes associated with PFAS exposure
Exposure to PFAS is associated with numerous health problems. A scientific panel of epidemiologists convened to study the health impacts of widespread PFAS water contamination in the Mid-Ohio Valley found links to high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. PFAS have also been shown to interfere with the immune system and to lower the efficacy of vaccines in children.
PFAS exposure begins in utero, and is detectable in cord blood serum, indicating transfer from mother to fetus. In utero exposure to PFAS is linked to poor outcomes for pregnant people and their children, specifically hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), placental dysfunction, adverse health outcomes, preeclampsia, and low birth weight.
Children are especially vulnerable to PFAS exposures because they eat a less varied diet and consume more food and water than adults, and are closer to the ground where PFAS settle in dust and soil. They also have more future years of life over which PFAS can bioaccumulate in their bodies and chronic diseases may develop. Exposure to PFAS during early life is linked to cardiometabolic outcomes, diabetes, obesity, impaired fertility, liver injury, thyroid impairment and thyroid cancer, allergy, asthma, reduced vaccine response, altered pubertal onset, and impaired neurodevelopment.
How to protect yourself and your family from PFAS
- Use an NSF-certified water filter for PFAS removal (NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 Reverse Osmosis)
- Limit consumption of take-out and fast foods
- Choose stainless or cast-iron pans and avoid nonstick cookware
- Avoid stain-resistant and waterproofing sealants on fabrics
- Advocate for stronger regulations to limit the presence of PFAS in consumer products and drinking water
How we’re studying PFAS at Mount Sinai
Type 2 Diabetes
A 2025 study led by Drs. Dania Valvi and Vishal Midya found that adults with higher PFAS levels have a significantly increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This expands on earlier research linking PFAS to metabolic dysfunction beginning in childhood.
Thyroid Cancer
A 2023 study led by Drs. Maaike van Gerwen and Lauren Petrick identified a strong link between PFAS exposure and thyroid cancer. Using blood samples from Mount Sinai’s BioMe biobank, researchers found that exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (n-PFOS) was associated with a 56% increased risk of developing thyroid cancer. Additional PFAS compounds were also linked to elevated cancer risk. This study adds critical evidence to the growing body of research supporting regulatory action to reduce PFAS exposure.
Fertility and Reproductive Health
In a 2023 study conducted in Singapore, Drs. Nathan Cohen and Dania Valvi found that higher blood concentrations of PFAS were associated with a 30–40% lower likelihood of pregnancy and live birth in women trying to conceive. This prospective cohort study, one of the first to show PFAS-related infertility outcomes in humans, identified several individual PFAS—such as perfluorodecanoic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid—as key contributors to decreased fertility. The findings underscore the importance of reducing PFAS exposure to protect reproductive health.
Liver Disease
Dr. Valvi and colleagues used metabolomics to identify serum biomarkers associated with PFAS exposure during pregnancy. They found that children exposed in utero to PFAS had elevated liver enzyme levels, indicating a higher risk for liver injury. This study was named “Paper of the Year” by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
Child Health and Development
Drs. Valvi and Youssef Oulhote’s research shows that prenatal and early-life exposure to PFAS is associated with adverse outcomes in early life including low birth weight, thyroid hormone disruption and adverse growth and neurodevelopmental trajectories.
PFAS Outreach and Advocacy
Our faculty are actively engaged in translating PFAS research into actionable insights that inform public health practice and shape evidence-based policy. Recent activities include:
Drs. Maida Galvez, Lauren Zajac, and Cappy Collins, pediatricians within the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) at Mount Sinai, together with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), work extensively to counsel communities and clinicians in New York and New Jersey impacted by industrial PFAS contamination.
Dr. Charles (Chase) Moon, a Pediatric Environmental Health Fellow, discussed PFAS on the podcast Well Said (March 2025)
Drs. Sarah Evans and Lauren Zajac published a commentary in Pediatric Research urging stronger federal regulations on PFAS in drinking water.
Dr. Evans presented expert testimony to the State of Connecticut on behalf of the Institute in support of a ban on PFAS in consumer packaging, which later passed. The bill passed in 2021.
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