PFAS in the Air?
When you hear “PFAS,” your mind probably jumps to contaminated water. But what if the air inside your home is just as concerning? That’s the question scientists and environmental experts are starting to ask as they uncover hidden sources of PFAS exposure in indoor environments. From everyday products to building materials, PFAS can become airborne and accumulate indoors, creating invisible health risks through inhalation.
PFAS in Indoor Air: An Emerging Concern
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of synthetic chemicals used in everything from non-stick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics to industrial applications. What makes them especially problematic is their persistence they don’t easily break down, which is why they’re often called “forever chemicals.”
While water contamination has dominated headlines, indoor air has been gaining attention as a significant but underrecognized route of exposure. PFAS can be released into the air from treated furniture, carpets, insulation, cleaning products, and even dust particles. In confined environments with limited ventilation, these substances can accumulate to levels that raise serious health concerns.
Recent environmental testing has revealed high levels of PFAS contamination in the air of older residential attics, raising concerns about indoor air quality and potential health impacts. In collaboration with EEC Environmental, Matregenix has provided PFAS-free nanofiber filters to support ongoing investigations into the presence and impact of PFAS in residential settings. While the full study results remain confidential due to ongoing litigation, preliminary findings highlight the importance of advanced filtration solutions as part of broader efforts to address indoor air contamination.
What This Means for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
These findings raise important questions:
How widespread is PFAS in household air?
Although still an emerging field of study, PFAS have been detected in household dust and indoor air across a wide range of residential settings, from urban apartments to suburban homes. The sources are varied and often difficult to pinpoint, but consistent findings suggest that indoor air may be a more common exposure route than previously recognized.
Which building materials or consumer products contribute most?
Many everyday items can release PFAS into indoor air, including stain-resistant carpets and upholstery, waterproofed clothing and gear, non-stick cookware, and construction materials like sealants, paints, and insulation. Even more ironically, some high-performance air filters particularly those made with expanded PTFE (ePTFE) contain PFAS-based materials. This means that while filters are designed to clean the air, some may inadvertently contribute to the problem in PFAS-sensitive environments.
What filtration solutions can effectively reduce exposure?
To reduce airborne PFAS exposure effectively, filtration solutions must be both high-performing and PFAS-free. This creates an urgent need for next-generation air filters that eliminate the risk of introducing PFAS-based materials into sensitive environments filters that are not only efficient but also safe by design.
One of the most promising alternatives is electrospun nanofiber filters made from PFAS-free polymers. These filters are designed with extremely fine fibers, high surface area, and tunable pore sizes, enabling them to achieve outstanding particle capture with low pressure drop. Electrospun nanofiber filters are particularly compelling as a PFAS-free replacement for ePTFE-based filters, offering similar or superior performance without the chemical risks.
To better evaluate the role of nanofiber filters in addressing PFAS in indoor air, it's helpful to consider both their key advantages and current limitations:
Advantages:
- High filtration efficiency (comparable to HEPA standards)
- Low pressure drop, enabling energy-efficient airflow
- Tunable properties for custom applications
- Made from safe, non-PFAS materials
Challenges:
- Currently higher production cost compared to mass-manufactured PFAS-based filters
- Limited market adoption, though this is changing as awareness grows
Looking Ahead
The science of airborne PFAS is still developing, but the urgency is clear. As more research emerges and as legal cases wrap up we hope this knowledge will become more accessible to the public. In the meantime, staying curious, supporting on-the-ground testing, and sharing findings transparently will help everyone breathe a little easier.
PFAS in the air may be invisible but with the right tools and the right partners, it doesn’t have to be ignored. To learn more about PFAS-free filtration and how we’re contributing to a cleaner future.