FIGURE 1.

Comparison of metabolism of octanoic acid and a theoretical metabolism of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). (A) Octanoic acid oxidation via β‐oxidation and TCA‐cycle oxidation of four acetyl‐CoA. (B) Hypothetical oxidation of PFOA yielding 12 electrons. (C) Hypothetical pathway of PFOA via hydrolytic defluorination, α‐decarboxylation, and oxidation carried out iteratively. (D) Compilation of the PFOA pathway that stops with release of 12 fluoride anions and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). TFA is more recalcitrant to defluorination and likely would remain untransformed.