CANBERRA - Three types of "forever chemicals" have been detected in the blood of more than 85 percent of Australians, according to new official data.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Tuesday for the first time published data on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels among Australians.

It tested for 11 types of PFAS in the blood of people aged 12 and over who participated in the National Health Measures Survey and detected three types in over 85 percent of participants.

READ MORE: 'Forever chemicals' detected in Sydney's drinking water

PFAS refers to a group of over 4,000 chemicals that are also known as "forever chemicals" because they persist for a long time in the environment and human body. Exposure to several types of PFAS has been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers.

The ABS found perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), a type of PFAS used in firefighting foams, cookware and textiles, in the blood of 99.1 percent of Australian males and 98.3 percent of females.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was detected in the blood of 98.1 percent of males and 94 percent of females.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2023 classified PFOA as carcinogenic to humans and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans.

Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) was found in 93.6 percent of Australian males and 82.8 percent of females, the ABS said.

Two more substances were detected in between 15 and 45 percent of participants and the remaining six were detected in less than 10 percent of people.

James Eynstone-Hinkins, head of health statistics at the ABS, said that people who were older had higher PFAS levels in general and levels were generally higher for males than females.

READ MORE: Australian Senate inquiry to investigate dangers of per-and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals

He said the data would help create a "national baseline" for levels of PFAS in the Australian population and enable future monitoring and support further research into the impacts of the chemicals on human health.