Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) in Homes and Gardens Study (PIHGS)
Environmental Exposure to PFCs: Soil, Produce, and Dust
On this page:
Background
What is the purpose of this environmental assessment?
Why is this important?
Who is eligible for this study?
How will properties be chosen for this study?
How will the study be done?
How will the study results be communicated?
Timeline and next steps
Printable information sheet
Contacts
For more information
This Web page explains an environmental assessment being done by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) with help from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). This research study will occur between September 2009 and June 2011. Between spring 2010 and fall 2010, field sampling and surveys will occur with residents.
Background
Since 2004, local and state agencies have been monitoring and responding to perfluorochemicals (PFCs) in groundwater and drinking water in Washington County. Cleanup activities are underway at the disposal sites to remove the source of the groundwater contamination. Water treatment installed in 2006 removed most PFCs from the City of Oakdale’s water supply. In 2007, city water was provided to two Lake Elmo neighborhoods with PFCs in their private wells. Individual water treatment units or bottled water have been provided to residents of Lake Elmo and Cottage Grove who have been advised by MDH not to use their private well water for drinking or cooking. Besides drinking PFC-containing water, it is possible people may be exposed to PFCs from other sources, such as a vegetable garden or bare soil in a yard that was watered with PFC-containing water.
What is the purpose of this environmental assessment?
This study will look at whether soil, home-grown produce, and house dust in Oakdale, Lake Elmo, and Cottage Grove contain PFCs that people could come into contact with. In addition, MDH will work with MPCA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to look at the use of PFC-contaminated wastewater treatment plant sludge on agricultural fields.
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Why is this important?
PFCs have been found at low levels in the blood of people in the U.S. and around the world. Drinking water contaminated with PFCs is one way people may be exposed to PFCs. People who have been exposed to PFCs in their drinking water have levels of PFCs in their blood that are higher than national averages, including participants in a recent study of nearly 200 residents of Oakdale, Lake Elmo, and Cottage Grove.
Another way people may be exposed to PFCs is through food. PFCs have been found in fish from several lakes and rivers in Minnesota. In addition, plants can take up PFCs if they are grown in soil that contains PFCs, or if they are watered with PFC-containing water. Two studies outside of Minnesota in communities with PFCs in their drinking water have found an association between consuming home-grown or home-canned produce and higher PFC levels in blood.
Studies also found PFCs in indoor dust, most likely from consumer products.
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Who is eligible for this study?
To be eligible to participate, homeowners or residents must meet the following criteria:
- Have a home-grown produce garden (vegetables/fruit) equal to or larger than 50 square feet (approximately 5 feet by 10 feet) and have used the garden themselves for at least the last 5 consecutive years in the same general location
- Live in one of the project area communities on the same property since January 2005:
- City of Oakdale
- In the Lake Elmo area served by 2007 city water extension (i.e. Tablyn Park and Lake Elmo Heights) and previously had a well with perfluoroctanoic acid (PFOA) and/or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
- Lake Elmo and Cottage Grove homes with private wells that have been tested and shown to contain PFOA and/or PFOS
- Agree to complete the survey questions
- Agree to allow water, soil, produce and house dust sampling from their property
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How will properties be chosen for this study?
MDH has compiled a list of potential study participants based on data from past well sampling for PFCs, knowledge of vegetable garden locations or other contact. MDH will mail residents at these locations an introductory letter along with this information sheet and ask them to contact MDH by phone/email if they are interested in participating. MDH will verify with residents that the location meets the eligibility criteria (as described above in “Who is eligible for this study?”). MDH will prioritize the potential sample locations based on PFC levels and the variety of produce they grow. The 20-22 highest priority eligible sites will be asked to participate. In addition, MDH will choose 3-5 control sites to provide data on background levels of PFCs in soil and produce in the Twin Cities metro area. Study participants will be asked to sign an informed consent.
Other residents who contact MDH during the project and express interest in participating will be placed on a second list. If 20-22 locations do not agree to participate from the first list, MDH will choose additional locations from the second list.
How will the study be done?
The study will involve answering three short surveys about gardening, watering, and cleaning habits. It will also involve collecting water, garden soil, house dust, and produce samples (tomatoes, peppers, peas, lettuce, etc.) during the growing season. The MDH Public Health Laboratory will analyze the samples. All data collected during the project will be considered private information.
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How will the study results be communicated?
Each participant will receive a letter with their sample results in early 2011 along with an explanation of the results. MDH does not anticipate finding PFCs at levels of health concern in soil, dust, or produce; rather the results will add to our knowledge of how people are exposed to PFCs in the East Metro. MDH will write a summary report with the overall findings of the project. MDH will provide the report to MPCA and local community representatives, participants, and to other interested parties by request.
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Timeline and next steps
The project began in September 2009 and will continue through June 2011. Participants will be contacted in Spring 2010, and sample collection and surveys will occur primarily during the 2010 growing season. Individual results and a summary report will be available and distributed in 2011.
Printable information sheet: Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) in Homes and Gardens Study (PIHGS) (PDF: 34KB/3 pages)
