Baby Safety / Compounds / PFDA (Perfluorodecanoic acid)

Is PFDA (Perfluorodecanoic acid) safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

Not medical or professional safety advice, and not a substitute for a qualified clinician — consult one. Full disclaimer →

Infants accumulate PFDA (Perfluorodecanoic acid) through breast milk (bioconcentration), placental transfer, and dust ingestion. Persistent pollutants concentrate in fatty tissues with extended half-lives in developing organisms.

What is pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid)?

The IUPAC name is 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-nonadecafluorodecanoic acid.

Also known as: 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-nonadecafluorodecanoic acid, Perfluorodecanoic acid, Nonadecafluorodecanoic acid, PFDA.

IUPAC name: 2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-nonadecafluorodecanoic acid
CAS number: 335-76-2
Molecular formula: C10HF19O2
Molecular weight: 514.08 g/mol
SMILES: C(=O)(C(C(C(C(C(C(C(C(C(F)(F)F)(F)F)(F)F)(F)F)(F)F)(F)F)(F)F)(F)F)(F)F)O
PubChem CID: 9555

Risk for babies

High risk

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

High risk

PFDA crosses the placenta and distributes to fetal tissues. Maternal PFDA exposure is associated with reduced birth weight, altered thyroid hormone concentrations in mother and neonate, and impaired fetal immune development. PFDA is transferred in breast milk, extending infant exposure postnatally. PFDA's thyroid-disrupting properties are of particular concern during pregnancy — maternal thyroid hormones supply the developing fetus prior to fetal thyroid maturation (approximately week 12 of gestation), and disruption of this supply has consequences for fetal brain development. Indigenous communities with subsistence diets high in marine mammals have elevated PFDA body burdens and are among the populations most affected by long-chain PFAS developmental exposure.

Regulatory consensus

3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified PFDA (Perfluorodecanoic acid). The classifications differ — that's the data.

Agency	Year	Classification
IARC	2023	Not evaluated by IARC
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 2 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox	—	Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 2 negative reports)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid)

Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to PFDA (Perfluorodecanoic acid):

Exposure reduction (environmental contaminant)
Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.

Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid) safe for kids?

What products contain pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid)?

PFDA (Perfluorodecanoic acid) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

What should I do if my child is exposed to pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid)?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Why do regulators disagree about pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid)?

PFDA (Perfluorodecanoic acid) has been classified by 3 agencies including IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See PFDA (Perfluorodecanoic acid) in the baby app

Look up products containing pfda (perfluorodecanoic acid), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (6)

IARC Monographs Volume 135 (2023): Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS) — PFOA classified Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans); PFOS Group 2B. NOTE: this PFAS was NOT among the agents individually evaluated in Volume 135. (2023) — regulatory
ATSDR: Clinical Guidance for Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances — PFDA Biological Half-Life, Seafood Exposure, and Minimum Risk Levels (2021) — regulatory
ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Perfluoroalkyls (PFAS class — covers PFDA via long-chain perfluorocarboxylate framework) (2021) — regulatory
EPA PFAS Strategic Roadmap — Long-Chain Perfluorocarboxylic Acid (PFCA) Risk-Management Framework (2021) — regulatory
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants — Long-Chain Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acid PFCAs (Annex A listing for PFOA + ongoing PFCA-class evaluations) (2019) — regulatory
NIOSH PFAS Occupational Exposure Framework Supplementary — long-chain perfluorocarboxylate fluorochemical-manufacturing + firefighter biomarker cohort (2022) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for medical, pediatric, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →