PFAS in Agricultural Systems: Guidance for Conservation Programs at USDA (2026)

Chapter: Appendix C: PFAS Family Tree

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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: PFAS Family Tree." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. PFAS in Agricultural Systems: Guidance for Conservation Programs at USDA. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29272.
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Appendix C

PFAS Family Tree

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Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: PFAS Family Tree." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. PFAS in Agricultural Systems: Guidance for Conservation Programs at USDA. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29272.
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Hierarchical diagram of PFAS subclasses showing perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) as the main branch, subdividing into PFCAs, PFSAs, PFPAs, and PFPiAs, plus PFAA precursors including PASF-based substances and fluorotelomer-based substances, and other categories including fluoropolymers and perfluoropolyethers. Each subclass lists example compounds with their chemical formulas and the number of peer-reviewed articles published since 2002, ranging from 3 to 4,066 articles, with PFOA having the most publications at 4,066.
FIGURE C-1 Family tree of PFAS.
NOTE: Family tree includes examples of individual PFAS and the number of peer-reviewed articles on them since 2002. Most articles focused on long-chain PFCAs, PFSAs, and their major precursors. PFAS in red are those that have been restricted under national, regional, or global regulatory or voluntary frameworks.
SOURCE: Reprinted with permission from Wang, Zhanyun, Jamie DeWitt, Christopher P. Higgins, and Ian T. Cousins. “Correction to ‘A Never-Ending Story of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)?’” Environmental Science & Technology 52 (5): 3325–3325. 2018, American Chemical Society. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b00599. Copyright © 2018 American Chemical Society.
Page 168 Cite Bookmark
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: PFAS Family Tree." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. PFAS in Agricultural Systems: Guidance for Conservation Programs at USDA. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29272.
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Page 169 Cite Bookmark
Suggested Citation: "Appendix C: PFAS Family Tree." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2026. PFAS in Agricultural Systems: Guidance for Conservation Programs at USDA. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/29272.
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