ABSTRACT
The quantitative determination of the amounts of fluorine contained in organic tissue is a matter of considerable difficulty. Fluoride in blood has been determined by potentiometry, gas chromatography, titration, colorimetry, and fluorimetry. The chemistry of derivatives of perfluoro-octanoic acid is in keeping with the known characteristics of organic fluorine from human blood plasma. The solubility is like that of a very polar lipid. Organic fluorine content of blood appears to be independent of the fluoride concentration of the water supply. Human plasma may contain other types of organic fluorocompounds. The chapter discusses concentration of inorganic fluoride in the light of information derived by the comparison, and provides methods for future work. It reviews information on organic fluorocompounds in human plasma. Human plasma does contain organic fluorocompounds. The major type is probably a derivative of perfluoro-octanoic acid, presumably a synthetic environmental contaminant.
