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East Metro PFC Biomonitoring Follow-up Project

Information on this page:

Description
Results
Next steps
More information

Description

The East Metro PFC Biomonitoring Follow-up Project measured perfluorochemicals (PFCs) in blood of residents of the East Metro who participated in MDH’s East Metro PFC Biomonitoring Project in 2008. One of the follow-up project’s goals is to find out whether efforts to reduce drinking water exposure to PFCs have been successful in reducing PFC blood levels in the population. Another goal (see Next steps) is to learn more about how people are exposed to PFCs.

Participants included 164 adults who agreed to give a second blood sample in 2010. The MDH Public Health Laboratory analyzed blood samples for the same 7 PFCs measured in 2008: perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), and perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA).

Results

Three PFCs (PFOA, PFOS, and PFHxS) were found in the blood of all participants. Levels of these PFCs have declined since 2008 in most participants: on average, individual levels of PFOS went down by 26%, PFOA by 21%, and PFHxS by 13%. 2010 levels were still somewhat higher than the most recent information available for the general U.S. population. For information about PFCs in the general U.S. population, see Chemicals in People: Biomonitoring (PFCs).

The other 4 PFCs were less frequently detected: PFBA in 34 people (21%), PFBS in 7 people (5%), and PFPeA in 1 person. PFHxA was not detected in any samples. This was similar to 2008, though PFBA was detected in a greater percentage of participants (25%) in 2008.

Because these declines are similar to other exposed communities, results tell us that efforts made to reduce drinking water exposure to PFCs in the East Metro were successful. We expect that over time levels will continue to go down to general U.S. population levels.

Next steps

MDH held a community meeting to discuss project results with community members. In the next phase of the project, MDH will study the surveys that participants completed, which will provide more information about sources of exposure to PFCs. MDH will also continue to review studies about possible human health effects of PFCs and communicate this information to the community.