Download or read book Bioaccumulation Fate and Treatment of Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances PFAS written by Asa James Lewis and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large and diverse class of man-made chemicals that are persistent and difficult to degrade in the environment. PFAS are characterized by the presence of carbon-fluorine bonds, the strongest bond in organic chemistry, which leads to great thermal and chemical stability. Often these properties provide industrial and consumer products with chemical and temperature resistance, surfactant behavior, and stain or water resistance. Currently, the problem of PFAS in the environment starts with their synthetic generation, use in products, and subsequent release to the environment where they can bioaccumulate and persist. PFAS have globally impacted aquatic ecosystems through major pathways such as direct release into the environment (e.g., fire-fighting trainings with aqueous film forming foams (AFFF)), inadequately treated industrial effluents, land-applied biosolids, and atmospheric deposition. Once released to the environment, specifically in water, many PFAS compounds tend to accumulate in ecosystems through bioaccumulation. In water, some PFAS are mobile, pose risks to all levels of an ecosystem, and are particularly difficult to remove or degrade. To address the release and accumulation in the environment, major strides must be made in terms of regulations, development of analytical techniques, mechanistic pathways understanding related to fate and transport, and advancement of treatment technologies to address the pollution whether it is large scale or site-specific remediation efforts. The goal of this dissertation is to provide further insight into bioaccumulation of PFAS in aquatic matrices, fate and transport in land-applied biosolids, and to develop a plasma treatment technology to destroy PFAS. Regarding bioaccumulation in aquatic matrices, geochemical factors have been demonstrated to impact PFAS partitioning in aquatic ecosystems and to impact bioaccumulation, but little is known related to the mechanistic understanding of the effects of elevated divalent cation concentrations of magnesium (Mg2+) and calcium (Ca2+) on macroinvertebrates. Therefore, as part of this dissertation, the impacts of Mg2+ and Ca2+ on PFAS bioaccumulation in three different macroinvertebrates species, Lumbriculus variegatus (L. variegatus), Elliptio complanata (E. complanata), and Physella acuta (P. acuta) were investigated, where it was demonstrated that the increased divalent cations concentrations impact the bioavailability of PFAS and the mechanisms responsible were discussed. L. variegatus had significantly higher PFAS bioaccumulation than P. acuta and E. complanata, likely due to higher levels of activity and interactions/ingestion of the contaminated sediment. "High Mg2+" (7.5 mM Mg2+) and "High Ca2+" (7.5 mM Ca2+) conditions generally had observable higher bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) than the "Reference Condition" (0.2 mM Ca2+ and 0.2 mM Mg2+) for PFAS with perfluorinated chain lengths greater than six carbons. Long-chain PFAS dominated the PFAS profiles of the macroinvertebrates for all classes of compounds studied, PFCA, PFSA, and FTS. These results indicate that the specific organism studied is most impactful regarding bioaccumulation, but divalent cation concentration has observable impacts between species depending on the environmental conditions. With respect to the release of PFAS from land-applied biosolids, the influence of microbial weathering on the partitioning of PFAS over a period of three months was investigated to see the impacts on fate and transport in biosolids. We found that the PFAS biosolids-water partitioning coefficients (Kd) were demonstrated to decrease, on average, 0.4 log over the course of the study. Additionally, the solid characteristics were characterized (lipids, proteins, and organic matter) and were observed to have sharp decreases over the first ten days, aligning with the most rapid changes in Kd. As a result, a multiple linear regression model was built to predict PFAS partitioning behavior in biosolids based on the biosolids characteristics and PFAS characteristics. Among the evaluated independent variables, statistical analyses demonstrated that the most significant solids characteristics that impacted PFAS partitioning were organic matter, proteins, lipids, and molecular weight of organics. A multiple linear regression model was built to predict PFAS partitioning behavior in biosolids based on solid characteristics of the biosolids and PFAS characteristics with a R2 value of 0.7391 when plotting predicted and measured log Kd. The findings from this work reveal that microbial weathering can play a significant role in the eventual fate and transport of PFAS and their precursors from biosolids. Since PFAS have been demonstrated herein to accumulate in aquatic matrices and rapidly partition from biosolids during biotic weathering processes, there is a need to effectively remove PFAS from water to decrease the environmental accumulation and transport. We report as part of this dissertation the development of a non-thermal plasma treatment system to degrade PFAS in liquid solutions. It was observed that this technology was able to rapidly degrade PFAS compounds but the degree of degradation and defluorination was highly depending on perfluorinated alkyl chain lengths, with those compounds with greater than 8 perfluorinated carbons achieving greater than 90% removal in one hour of treatment. The combination of the energy efficiency of this treatment being on the order of magnitude of other emerging destructive technologies and its effectiveness shows promise for the application of non-thermal plasmas for PFAS removal in water. The lowest EEo for PFOS was 23.2 kWh/m3/order and 213.4 kWh/m3/order for PFOA, similar with existing technologies (which range from 10 to 10,000 kWh/m3/order). These results indicate that non-thermal air plasma discharges are promising technologies for treatment of PFAS that should be further researched and developed.

Download or read book Perfluorinated Chemicals PFCs written by Nicholas P. Cheremisinoff and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2016-11-29 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new volume provides a timely study on the environmental challenges from a specific class of perfluorinated chemical compounds (PFCs) that are now being recognized as a worldwide health threat. Recent studies report that levels of classes of PFCs known as polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl (PFASs) exceed federally recommended safety levels in public drinking-water supplies for 6 million people in the United States and that as many as 100 million people could be at risk from exposure to these chemicals. These chemicals occur globally in wildlife and humans. Both PFCAs and PFSAs have been produced for more than 50 years, but have only become of interest to regulators and environmentalists since the late 1990s. Recent advances in analytical methodology has enabled widespread detection in the environment and humans at trace levels. These toxic chemicals have been found in outdoor and indoor air, surface and drinking water, house dust, animal tissue, human blood serum, and human breast milk. Of great concern to communities is the presence of these compounds in a number of drinking water supplies in the U.S. and other countries. This new volume provides a timely explanation of the chemicals, provides a detailed review of the regulations both in the US and European Community, explains the health risk literature, and then explores in great detail available treatment technologies. The volume is a must for public water supply facilities, industrial operations that have historically used these chemicals and face legacy pollution issues, policy makers and the general public.

Download or read book Polyfluorinated Chemicals and Transformation Products written by Thomas P. Knepper and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2011-09-21 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Due to their unparalleled effectiveness and efficiency, polyfluorinated chemicals (PFC) have become essential in numerous technical applications. However, many PFCs brought to market show limited biodegradability, and their environmental persistence combined with toxic and bioaccumulative potential have become a matter of concern in some instances. This volume highlights the synthesis of PFCs, focusing on substances with improved application and environmental properties, which are a challenge for synthetic chemists. Further, modern mass spectrometric techniques for the detection and identification of biotransformation products of PFCs are described. The sorption and leaching behavior of PFC in soil is also addressed in order to predict their fate in the environment. Several contributions discuss the monitoring of PFCs in European surface, ground and drinking waters, treatment options for PFC removal from drinking water, occurrence in food, and the human biomonitoring of PFCs.

Download or read book Understanding Risk to Wildlife from Exposures to Per and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances PFAS written by Mark S. Johnson and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2021-04-21 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Understanding Risk to Wildlife from Exposures to Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) provides the most recent summary of toxicity data relevant to mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, and provides values for use in risk assessment applications. Predicting the bioaccumulation of PFAS in terrestrial wildlife (including humans) has proven to be extremely complex. As a group, PFAS act differently than traditional non-ionic organic molecules, where PFAS can break down and reform, whereas some are demonstrated to be extremely persistent. Where sufficient data are provided, this book establishes toxicity reference values (TRVs), which are derived to assist in characterizing environmental sources of contamination and making risk-based decisions. Features: Provides toxicity reference values (TRVs) for vertebrates (mammals, birds, amphibians) for PFAS, where sufficient data are available, and includes objective supporting background information. Assigns a level of confidence to each TRV to provide the risk assessor with an understanding of the relative uncertainty associated with each value. Presents toxicity data in the formats of scatter diagrams and tables for quick review and assessment. Provides TRVs relevant for screening and decision making This book serves as a useful aid for risk assessors and managers in those industries that have sites contaminated with PFAS, consultants tasked with evaluating risks at such sites, and staff at regulatory agencies at various governmental levels, who need to know how much contamination is considered safe for wildlife. It will also appeal to researchers with an interest in filling the gaps in the current toxicological data for PFAS exposure.

Download or read book Toxicological Effects of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances written by Jamie C. DeWitt and published by Humana Press. This book was released on 2015-04-14 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book serves as a timely and comprehensive overview of the latest science for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), covering the development of methods for assessing PFASs in biological fluids and tissues as well as the current knowledge regarding their toxicity to vertebrate organisms. This book includes chapters on human and wildlife exposure/body burdens, reviews of metabolism and toxicological effects by organ system/developmental stage and aspects of PFAS toxicity that are driving PFAS research and regulatory oversight. Toxicological Effects of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances provide critical assessments of the most controversial topics surrounding toxicological evaluation of PFASs to give readers an expert perspective on the issues. Emphasis is placed on the integration of modes and mechanisms of action with functional endpoints that are relevant to human and wildlife health. This book will be a useful resource for toxicologists, environmental chemists, risk assessors and researchers with an interest in the class of compounds known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.

Download or read book The cost of inaction written by Gretta Goldenman and published by Nordic Council of Ministers. This book was released on 2019-03-17 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkylsubstances) are known to be extremely difficult to degrade in the environment and to be bioaccumulative and toxic. Exposure to PFAS is suspected to increase the risk of adverse health effects, such as impacts on the thyroid gland, the liver, fat metabolism and the immune system. This study estimates the socioeconomic costs that may result from impacts on human health and the environment from the use of PFAS. Better awareness of the costs and problems associated with PFAS exposure will assist decision-makers and the general public to make more efficient and timely risk management decisions. Findings indicate that the costs are substantial, with annual health-related costs estimated to 2.8 – 4.6 billion EUR for the Nordic countries and 52 – 84 billion EUR for all EEA countries. Overall non-health costs are estimated at 46 million – 11 billion EUR for the Nordic countries.Upon request the excel spreadsheets used for the monetarisation and valuation in this report can also be provided along with a guidance on how to use the estimation of costs for value transfer. Please contact any of the consultants or members of the steering group from the Swedish Chemicals Agency or the Danish Environmental Protection Agency if you are interested in receiving these excel spreadsheets.

Download or read book Perfluoroalkyl Substances in the Environment written by David M. Kempisty and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-08-06 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as per- (and poly) fluorinated compounds (PFCs), have been used for years in many everyday3⁄4 and some lifesaving3⁄4 products. However, their use has been linked to adverse health effects in humans, a problem compounded by their persistence in the environment. This book discusses the various challenges of PFAS in our environment today, including their historical use as well as their chemical and toxicological properties. It also presents robust discussion of analytical challenges and special considerations in sampling. The work goes on to give practical recommendations for dealing with these compounds in today's dynamic regulatory landscape and includes several chapters on various remediation techniques. Key Features: Comprehensive overview of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) historical use and chemical/physical properties which help us understand their persistence, transport, and transformation pathways in the environment In-depth analysis of PFAS toxicology Detailed descriptions of conventional and state-of-the-art remediation technologies Practical recommendations for dealing with PFAS in a dynamic regulatory landscape Robust discussion of important sampling and analytical considerations Perfluoroalkyl Substances in the Environment: Theory, Practice, and Innovation explores the challenges across the topical areas of regulation and management, toxicology, environmental remediation, and analytical sampling and analysis.Readers will find this text helpful in understanding complexities associated with PFAS and informing management strategies to effectively protect this and future generations.

Download or read book Forever Chemicals written by David M. Kempisty and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2021-07-28 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forever Chemicals: Environmental, Economic, and Social Equity Concerns with PFAS in the Environment provides the reader with an understanding of the complex and interwoven issues associated with per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in our environment. The chapters provide in-depth perspective into various issues, including health, regulation, detection, clean-up strategies and technologies, and more. Taken together or as the reader’s interests lead them, the variety of topics covered in the book present a balanced perspective on this complex topic. It will address the current state of PFAS and where indicators are pointing for future developments. The book is also a deeper investigation of the regulatory challenges, analytical hurdles, and toxicological progress to date for the suite of PFAS chemicals. Features Explains the trends that will affect future policy and regulatory decisions Looks holistically at 4000+ PFAS chemicals Includes PFAS risk assessments at contaminated sites and biomonitoring insights Provides in-depth discussions on remediation technologies Illustrates quality and diversified content Provides a balanced perspective on this complex topic

Download or read book A Plain English Guide to the EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule written by and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Bioaccumulation of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances PFAS in Earthworms Eisenia Fetida from Sorbent amended Soils written by Julie Jarjour and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The use of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) for extinguishing fuel fires has introduced poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into different environmental media, including soil. Such contaminated sites are long-term sources of PFAS pollution, posing a threat to drinking water supplies in many locations. In situ soil stabilization using sorbent amendments, such as granular activated carbon and modified clay minerals, has demonstrated efficacy in immobilizing PFAS in contaminated soil. The measure is expected to be highly effective in reducing PFAS bioavailability to earthworms, the predominant soil invertebrates, but limited experimental evidence is available. Therefore, PFAS uptake from contaminated soils by earthworms (Eisenia fetida) following amendment was studied to address the knowledge gap. Two different amendments were evaluated for this study: coal-based activated carbon (F400) and a new modified clay-based adsorbent (FLUORO-SORB100®). Surface soil was collected locally and spiked with PFAS at ~ 100 ng/g dry weight to simulate a moderately contaminated soil, to which the sorbents were amended at different concentrations (0-4 w/w%). A field-collected AFFF-impacted soil with high PFAS levels was tested at one amendment concentration (4 w/w%). The mixture of representative PFAS included 4 perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs), 6 perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs), and 3 (n:2) fluorotelomer sulfonates (FTSAs). Earthworms were exposed to PFAS during the uptake phase test until the expected steady-state was reached (28 days). Both amendments resulted in reduced earthworm body burdens compared to the setup without amendment, with 4 w/w% amendment being the most effective, reducing body burdens of total PFAS by>95% in the spiked soil. Activated carbon performed slightly better at reducing body burdens in both soils in terms of total PFAS, possibly owing to minimal gut exposure; earthworms largely avoided ingesting the activated carbon probably due to its particle size. In clay-amended soil, both gut route and skin contact contributed to PFAS uptake by earthworms. Furthermore, a soil leaching test was performed at the end of the uptake phase to understand the mobility of PFAS following the soil amendment. The clay-based adsorbent performed better at immobilizing most analytes in the contaminated soil; however, in the spiked soil, clay was not as effective as activated carbon for short-chain PFCAs. Strong positive log-log relationships were observed between leachate concentrations and earthworm body burdens for most PFAS analytes in the spiked soil. The finding suggests that although the leaching test evaluates PFAS mobility, the PFAS leachate concentrations might be correlated with pore water concentrations, thus partly explain the extent of earthworm body burdens. Overall, this study allows for a risk-based assessment strategy for the use of amendments for mitigating PFAS pollution of soils"--

Download or read book Fluorinated Surfactants and Repellents Second Edition written by Erik Kissa and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2001-02-09 with total page 650 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A discussion of the synthesis, problems, theories and applications of fluorinated surfactants, this second edition is updated with four new chapters on repellency and protection against soiling and staining and over 2900 references, equations, and drawings (800 more than the previous edition). It lists alphabetically and explores numerous applications of fluorinated surfactants. Called "...a most useful introduction to these fascinating materials" by the Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology and "...a coherent and stimulating handbook...the most useful book in the fluorinated surfactants field to date. Recommended." by the Journal of the Chemical Society, Faraday Transactions - this book is a source of factual data, methods of manufacture, and chemical structures for the surfactant scientist and user.

Download or read book The Seine River Basin written by Nicolas Flipo and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-01-30 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book reviews the water-agro-food and socio-eco-system of the Seine River basin (76,000 km2), and offers a historical perspective on the river’s long-term contamination. The Seine basin is inhabited by circa 17 million people and is impacted by intensive agricultural practices and industrial activities. These pressures have gradually affected its hydrological, chemical and ecological functioning, leading to a maximum chemical degradation between the 1960s and the 1990s. Over the last three decades, while major water-quality improvements have been observed, new issues (e.g. endocrine disruptors, microplastics) have also emerged. The state of the Seine River network, from the headwaters to estuary, is increasingly controlled by the balance between pressures and social responses. This socio-ecosystem provides a unique example of the functioning of a territory under heavy anthropogenic pressure during the Anthropocene era. The achievements made were possible due to the long-term PIREN Seine research program, established in 1989 and today part of the French socio-ecological research network “Zones Ateliers”, itself part of the international Long-term Socio-economic and Ecological Research Network (LTSER). Written by experts in the field, the book provides an introduction to the water budget and the territorial metabolism of the Seine basin, and studies the trajectories and impact of various pollutants in the Seine River. It offers insights into the ecological functioning, the integration of agricultural practices, the analysis of aquatic organic matter, and the evolution of fish assemblages in the Seine basin, and also presents research perspectives and approaches to improve the water quality of the Seine River. Given its scope, it will appeal to environmental managers, scientists and policymakers interested in the long-term contamination of the Seine River.

Download or read book Handbook of Property Estimation Methods for Chemicals written by Donald Mackay and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2000-03-29 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A complete restructuring and updating of the classic 1982 Handbook of Chemical Property Estimation Methods (commonly known as "Lyman's Handbook"), the Handbook of Property Estimation Methods for Chemicals: Environmental and Health Sciences reviews and recommends practical methods for estimating environmentally important properties of organic chemic

Download or read book Investigation of Environmental Fate of Novel Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Soil and Biosolids written by Chen Liu and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have received great attention due to their ubiquitous detection in the environment. As PFASs are among the most persistent organic compounds, and some are toxic and bioaccumulative, it is important to understand concentrations, sources, and environmental fate of PFASs in different environmental matrices. To shed light on the sources and behaviours of PFASs observed in soil, this thesis focused on (1) evaluating biotransformation in aerobic soil of fluorotelomer phosphoric esters (PAPs), and (2) assessing the levels of identifiable and unidentified PFASs in municipal biosolids intended for land application. In the first part of the thesis, biotransformation rates of two major PAPs (6:2 and 8:2 diPAPs) were evaluated in a semi-dynamic system over 112 days. Soil samples were prepared using an improved sample extraction preparation method, which has demonstrated the best recoveries for the diPAPs and the least propensity to cause undesirable solvent-enhanced hydrolysis. At the end of 112 days, the major polyfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids that were formed from 6:2 diPAPs were 9.34% 5:3 polyfluoroalkyl acid (5:3 acid), 6.42% perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) and 5.99% perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA); the major one formed from 8:2 diPAPs was 2.14% perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The half-lives of 6:2 diPAP and 8:2 diPAP were estimated to be 11.5 days and >1000 days, respectively. The approximate linear relationship between the half-lives of eleven PFASs (including 6:2 and 8:2 diPAPs) and their molecular weights suggested that the molecular weight is a good indicator of the general stability of low-molecular-weight PFAS-based compounds. In the second part of the thesis, 12 municipal biosolid samples were collected in Canada. Concentrations of 28 PFASs, including 13 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs, C4-C14, 5:3 and 7:3 acids), 4 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (C4, C6, C8, and C10), 4 fluorotelomer alcohols (8:2 FTOH, 6:2 FTOH, 7:2 sFTOH and 5:2 sFTOH), 3 fluorotelomer sulfonic acids (8:2 FTS, 6:2 FTS and 4:2 FTS), and 4 PAPs (8:2 diPAP, 6:2 diPAP, 8:2 monoPAP, and 6:2 monoPAP), were determined. The predominant PFASs in most of the samples were perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), 5:3 acid, 6:2 diPAP, 8:2 FTOH and 6:2 FTOH, but not PFCAs or perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). The significantly different PFAS profiles from those in the U.S. biosolids suggested the use of different PFAS products in Canada. A persulfate oxidation based assay was applied to determine the level of unidentified PFASs in biosolids. Further studies are needed to optimize the assay to determine whether the approach is feasible for biosolid samples. This study has contributed to a deeper understanding of environmental fate and potential sources of selected PFAS species in soil environment." --

Download or read book Short chain Polyfluoroalkyl Substances PFAS written by and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Soil pollution a hidden reality written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2018-04-30 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This document presents key messages and the state-of-the-art of soil pollution, its implications on food safety and human health. It aims to set the basis for further discussion during the forthcoming Global Symposium on Soil Pollution (GSOP18), to be held at FAO HQ from May 2nd to 4th 2018. The publication has been reviewed by the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soil (ITPS) and contributing authors. It addresses scientific evidences on soil pollution and highlights the need to assess the extent of soil pollution globally in order to achieve food safety and sustainable development. This is linked to FAO’s strategic objectives, especially SO1, SO2, SO4 and SO5 because of the crucial role of soils to ensure effective nutrient cycling to produce nutritious and safe food, reduce atmospheric CO2 and N2O concentrations and thus mitigate climate change, develop sustainable soil management practices that enhance agricultural resilience to extreme climate events by reducing soil degradation processes. This document will be a reference material for those interested in learning more about sources and effects of soil pollution.

Download or read book Fluorine and Health written by Alain Tressaud and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2008-06-06 with total page 821 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fluorine and Health presents a critical multidisciplinary overview on the contribution of fluorinated compounds to resolve the important global issue of medicinal monitoring and health care. The involved subjects are organized in three thematic parts devoted to Molecular Imaging, Biomedical Materials and Pharmaceuticals. Initially the key-position of partially fluorinated low molecular weight compounds labelled either with the natural 19F-isotope for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or labelled with the radioactive [18F]-isotope for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is highlighted. Both non-invasive methods belong to the most challenging in vivo imaging techniques in oncology, neurology and in cardiology for the diagnosis of diseases having the highest mortality in the industrialized countries. The manifold facets of fluorinated biomaterials range from inorganic ceramics to perfluorinated organic molecules. Liquid perfluorocarbons are suitable for oxygen transport and as potential respiratory gas carriers, while fluorinated polymers are connected to the pathology of blood vessels. Another important issue concerns the application of highly fluorinated liquids in ophthalmology. Moreover, fluorine is an essential trace element in bone mineral, dentine and tooth enamel and is applied for the prophylaxis and treatment of dental caries. The various origins of human exposure to fluoride species is detailed to promote a better understanding of the effect of fluoride species on living organisms.Medicinally relevant fluorinated molecules and their interactions with native proteins are the main focus of the third part. New molecules fluorinated in strategic position are crucial for the development of pharmaceuticals with desired action and optimal pharmacological profile. Among the hundreds of marketed active drug components there are more than 150 fluorinated compounds. The chapters will illustrate how the presence of fluorine atoms alters properties of bioactive compounds at various biochemical steps, and possibly facilitate its emergence as pharmaceuticals. Finally the synthetic potential of a fluorinase, the first C-F bond forming enzyme, is summarized. - New approach of topics involving chemistry, biology and medicinal techniques - Transdisciplinar papers on fluoride products - Importance of fluoride products in health - Updated data on specific topics