PFAS Cholesterol Study Adds to Research on Heart Disease Link

Some PFAS increased levels of “bad” cholesterol, and others increased the “good” type, according to a study that adds to the evidence that the chemicals affect fats in blood and some may contribute to heart disease.

Two older forms of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS—perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)—increased the amounts of “bad” cholesterol in people’s bodies, said Jane Hoppin, a biology professor at North Carolina State University and lead author of the study, which was published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

It’s been known that some older PFAS can increase cholesterol, but the potency ...