The fluorinated surfactants or fluorosurfactants subgroup has a fluorinated "tail" and a hydrophilic "head" and are thus considered surfactants. These are more effective at reducing the surface tension of water than comparable hydrocarbon surfactants. They include the perfluorosulfonic acids, such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), and the perfluorocarboxylic acids like perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
Fluorosurfactants are surfactants containing fluorocarbon chains such as those in PFASs. Their hydrophobic nature can reduce the surface tension of water below what is attainable by using hydrocarbon surfactants, so fluorosurfactants tend to concentrate at the liquid-air interface. Fluorocarbons are both lipophobic and hydrophobic, which allows them to repel both oil and water. Their lipophobicity results from the relative lack of London dispersion forces when compared to hydrocarbons, a consequence of fluorines large electronegativity and small bond length, which reduce the polarizability of the surfactants fluorinated molecular surface. Fluorosurfactants are more stable and fit for harsher conditions than hydrocarbon surfactants because of the stability of the carbon–fluorine bond. Perfluorinated surfactants persist in the environment for the same reason.