Ecological screening assessment report on perfluorooctane sulfonate, salts and precursors: chapter 7

7. Conclusion

The presence of PFOS, its salts and its precursors results primarily from anthropogenic activity. PFOS and its salts are extremely persistent in all media and can bioaccumulate and biomagnify in mammals and piscivorous birds. Given the inherent properties of PFOS and its precursors, together with demonstrated or potential environmental concentrations that may exceed the effect levels for higher trophic level biota such as piscivorous birds and mammals; and given the widespread occurrence of PFOS in biota, including in remote areas; and given that PFOS precursors may contribute to the overall presence of PFOS in the environment, it is concluded that PFOS, its salts and its precursors are entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that have or may have an immediate or long-term harmful effect on the environment or its biological diversity.