Update on GenX and other fluorochemicals in New Hanover
drinking water
Wilmington, April 17, 2018
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Nadine Kotlarz, PhD [email protected]
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Why collect drinking water samples?
1. Get updated information about GenX
2. Analyze for other fluorochemicals
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Fluorochemicals we tested for(tinyurl.com/GenXstudy)
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Fluorochemicals we tested for
Fluorochemicals
Newly identified“Legacy”
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11. GenX12. Nafion byproduct 213. PFMOAA14. PFO4DA15. PFO3OA16. PFO2HxA17. 6:2 FTS
1. PFBA2. PFPeA3. PFHxA4. PFHpA5. PFOA6. PFNA7. PFDA8. PFBS9. PFHS10. PFOS
(tinyurl.com/GenXstudy)
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Fluorochemicals we tested for
Fluorochemicals
Newly identified“Legacy”
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11. GenX12. Nafion byproduct 213. PFMOAA14. PFO4DA15. PFO3OA16. PFO2HxA17. 6:2 FTS
1. PFBA2. PFPeA3. PFHxA4. PFHpA5. PFOA6. PFNA7. PFDA8. PFBS9. PFHS10. PFOS
(tinyurl.com/GenXstudy)
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Two CFPUA water treatment plants serve New Hanover County
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Two CFPUA water treatment plants serve New Hanover County
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Sweeney water treatment plant (Cape Fear River)
Richardson water treatment plant (groundwater)
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Water source for 198 participating households
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194 households on CFPUA’s Cape Fear River water plant
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Water source for 198 participating households
4 households on CFPUA’s groundwater plant
194
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Chemours GenX spill
3,700 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
Nafion byproducts still being released in Chemours outfall
Sweeney treated water: 33 ng/L GenX
Sweeney treated water: 32 ng/L GenX
Sweeney treated water: 98 ng/L GenX
GenX health advisory level of 140 ng/L issued
July
14
2,400 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
290 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
Timeline
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Water sampling start
Water sampling end
Chemours GenX spill
3,700 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
Nafion byproducts still being released in Chemours outfall
Sweeney treated water: 33 ng/L GenX
Sweeney treated water: 32 ng/L GenX
Sweeney treated water: 98 ng/L GenX
GenX health advisory level of 140 ng/L issued
2,400 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
290 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
July
14
Dec
8
Timeline
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Water sampling start
Water sampling end
Chemours GenX spill
3,700 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
Nafion byproducts still being released in Chemours outfall
Dec
8
Sweeney treated water: 33 ng/L GenX
Sweeney treated water: 32 ng/L GenX
Sweeney treated water: 98 ng/L GenX
Sweeney treated water: 29 ng/L GenX
GenX health advisory level of 140 ng/L issued
2,400 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
290 ng/L GenX in Chemours outfall
July
14
Timeline
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Treated water from Sweeney Plant
Groundwater source
Cape Fear River source
North Carolina health value (140 parts per trillion)
GenX(parts per trillion)
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Most samples with Cape Fear River source had GenX
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
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140 parts per trillion = 140 drops in an Olympic size swimming pool
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Treated water from Sweeney Plant
Groundwater source
Cape Fear River source
North Carolina health value (140 parts per trillion)
GenX(parts per trillion)
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Samples with groundwater source did not have GenX
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Groundwater source
Cape Fear River source
Similar GenX concentrations in Sweeney treated water
North Carolina health value (140 parts per trillion)
Treated water from Sweeney plant,Oct 2-Dec 5, 2017
GenX(parts per trillion)
One sample shows currentexposure
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
GenX in Sweeney treated water after Chemours stopped discharging GenX
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
6/21 6/26 7/1 7/6 7/11 7/16 7/21 7/26 7/31 8/5
Ge
nX
(par
ts p
er
trill
ion
)
North Carolina Health Value140 parts per trillion
Date in 2017
Prior to June 2017Average: 600 parts per trillionMaximum: 4,500 parts per trillion
June 21 June 26 July 1 July 6 July 11 July 16 July 21 July 26 July 31 Aug 5
Data source: CFPUA and NC DEQ
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Individualized water results
“Non-detect” Concentration (parts per trillion)
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water samples
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Individualized water results
Health valueParticipant’s sample
Average concentration (45 parts per trillion)
*
water samples
Concentration (parts per trillion)“Non-detect”
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Fluorochemicals with health values
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Concentration (parts per trillion)
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
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Other “legacy” fluorochemicals
Concentration (parts per trillion)
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
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A pure sample of each chemical is needed to get concentration
Mass spectrometer
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
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Average mass spectrometer response
A pure sample of each chemical is needed to get concentration
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
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Response
Parts per trillion in water
Pure chemical or “standard”
Average mass spectrometer response
A pure sample of each chemical is needed to get concentration
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Other fluorochemicals were present
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No pure chemicals were availableAverage mass
spectrometer response
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Newly identified fluorochemicals
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Conclusions
1. GenX found in most water samples with Cape Fear River
source
2. No samples were above current public health values for
GenX, PFOA or PFOS
3. Other newly identified fluorochemicals were present in
water samples
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
Blood and urine analyses are ongoing
1. Water analysis helped to characterize exposure
2. Water shows current exposure levels but blood levels may
provide more information about long-term exposures
3. Fluorochemicals that were low in water may be higher in
blood
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Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.
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AcknowledgmentsStudy participants
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS, 1R21ES029353)
Mark Strynar, US EPAAndrew Lindstrom, US EPAJames McCord, US EPAZachary Hopkins, NCSU
Madi Polera, Samantha Davis, Nick Iraola, Leah Becton, Shannon Schaible, Spencer Bloom, Samuel Elter, Yamile Eucinda (UNCW),
Janhavi Kulkarni, Lan Cheng (NCSU)
New Hanover County Health Department
Community Science Advisory Panel
Preliminary Information Subject to Revision. Not for Citation or Distribution.