1 Introduction Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), developed in the 1950s, are widely used in industrial and commercial applications, including in nonstick coatings, fire-fighting foams, and water-resistant textiles (Gaines 2023). Their structure, characterized by strong carbon-fluorine bonds, confers exceptional stability, limiting their environmental degradation and earning them the nickname “forever chemicals” (Abunada et al. 2020; Ankley et al. 2020).