Normal Fluorine Levels in Man

So Whats Normal?

3M was in litigation with the State of Minnesota, part of the documentation that was surrendered under discovery was 3M's research into what the average levels of fluorine both Organic and Inorganic were in the average population compared their C8 Chemical Processing Plants. What is important to note about this data is that 3M was doing research specifically related to fluorine levels in their employees to determine toxicity limits.

The Element Fluorine

Fluorine is the most electronegative element on the periodic table, electronegative classification is a methodology developed by chemists to keep track of the outer valence electrons and classify their reactivity with other elements. A higher electronegativity means a higher propensity for combinatoric reactions with other elements and compounds in the pantheon of the chemical world. Fluorine is the king of electronegativity, stated simply it will react with virtually anything and vigorously, the end compound typically becomes extremely stable, as the fluorine molecule has satisfied the Lewis octet of valence electrons, in layman's terms it has found a happy and comfortable home and will not leave unless pried apart by extreme forces, not typically found in nature.

Organic Versus Inorganic

The Chemists Definition of Organic, are compounds that contain the element carbon.

An example of an Organic combination of Fluorine :

C6 = CF3-CF2- CF2-CF2-CF00H (commonly refereed to as PFHxS) and C8= CF3-CF2-CF2-CF2-CF2-CF2-CF2-SO3H (Commonly refereed to as PFOA)

This large complex molecule is extremely stable

Inorganic, so by contrast the Definition an Inorganic Molecule would be one in which no carbon is present in the combination, and example would be:

SnF2 Stannous Flouride, your "friendly" tooth decay prevention molecule

F- , fluorine ion can exist in suspension in water for example and can readily combine with elements. Their are some foods which naturally contain high levels of fluorine such as raisins.

Consumer Products

Since the discovery and mastery of combining fluorine compounds our consumer products are full of fluorine compounds: Steroids, Tranquilizers, Anesthetics, Herbicides, None Stick Coatings, Aerosol Propellants and most important to Industry, Refrigerants. This does not indict in anyway the entirety of these products, rather the consumer must be aware and take adequate precautions on the proper use of said products to ensure their proper health and safety as well as environmental impact of these products.

The Typical Level

3M's own data established circa 1970's that the typical literature values indicated that the Average Blood Serum Levels of Organic Fluorine were 30 PPB (parts per Billion) [2-130] and Inorganic Fluoride were 20 PPB [3-170].

So What, What is the point?

Fluorine Levels were being examined to determine potential toxicity levels in people.

Understanding the basics

Wetting Agent

A Wetting Agent is a chemical combination which is designed to be miscible (it mixes with) water and change its properties that enhance waters performance in putting out fires. Class A Fires, wetting agents help the product to penetrate the fuel, Class B Fires the wetting agent mixes with the fuel in both cases the wetting agent is working to disrupt the Chemical Chain Reaction of the Fire Tetrahedron.

Foam or Foaming Agent

A Foam is a chemical combination which acts to create a physical barrier between the fuel and the oxygen, thus a foam's primary route of action is the denial of Oxygen from the Fire Tetrahedron

Surfactants

Surfactants are typically present in both products, they act by reducing the surface energy of a liquid. This is beneficial for both a foam and a wetting agent, in a foam it allows the product to spread across the surface of the flammable material in a rapid fashion allowing the other chemical agents to create a film. The wetting agent is assisted by the same product and it is able to penetrate and mix with the flammable material more rapidly than otherwise it would.

Hybrids One and All

In truth, chemical companies use their abundant knowledge of these products to make the most effective suppression agents possible. Foams and Wetting Agents and now Wetting Agents with Foaming Agents are combinations of chemicals which are all tailored to suppressing types and classes of fires in the most rapid fashion possible

Fluorinated Chemicals

Fluorinated Surfactants and other Chemicals with Fluorine in them were first recognized as having fantastic properties because of their ability to handle intense temperatures without losing molecular cohesion. When the Chemical industries hit upon the fact that they would work well in fire suppression agents AFFF was born.

Why are they Bad and What is being done?

The very thing that makes fluorine chemicals ideal for fire suppression agents, is the same thing that can lead to health and environmental hazards, their inability to be broken down, "The Forever Chemical". Every living biological entity is essentially a very complex chemical factory, inhaling, imbibing, transpiring, emitting chemicals. Fluorinated chemicals of the type found in fire suppression agents are synthetic ie they are man made they do not occur naturally in nature. As such when your body ingests or is exposed to them via inhalation or surface contact, you body wants to do something with them. But they are totally foreign, there is literally nothing in our genetic make up that is designed to properly process fluorinated chemicals for use or disposal. Now with time and a certain amount of random chance things start to happen, some people may develop cancer, others thyroid issues and a few still nothing. This is the problem in a nut shell, when a large enough population begins to exhibit a sensitivity to these chemicals such that the health industry becomes involved, then the regulatory agencies such as the EPA and the science advisory agencies such as the CDC and the NIH get involved. That is where we are today. A Group of agencies accessing the hazards and developing standards to minimize risk. This site was developed with the sole intention of informing first responders and others that the current body of evidence suggests that their is a potential risk to your health and well being.

Fluorine Free Foam Association