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C8 or C-8: PFOA is perfluorooctanoic acid and is sometimes called C8. It is a man-made chemical and does not occur naturally in the environment. The "PFOA" acronym is used to indicate not only perfluorooctanoic acid itself, but also its principal salts.
The PFOA derivative of greatest concern and most wide spread use is the ammonium salt (
Ammonium perfluorooctanoate) commonly known as C8, C-8, or APFO and the chemical of concern in the Class Action suit in Ohio.

Ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO or C8)
CAS No. 3825-26-1. Molecular formula:

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA or C8)
CAS No: 335-67-1
. Molecular formula:

The DuPont site where APFO is used as a reaction aid is the Washington Works (Route 892, Washington, West Virginia 26181) located along the Ohio River approximately seven miles southwest of Parkersburg, West Virginia.

The Little Hocking Water Association well field is located in Ohio on the north side of the Ohio River immediately across from the Washington Works facility. Consumers of this drinking water have brought a Class Action suit against the Association and DuPont for the contamination of their drinking water with DuPont's APFO, which residents and media refer to as C8.

PFOA is used as a processing aid in the manufacture of fluoropolymers to produce hundreds of items such as non-stick surfaces on cookware (TEFLON), protective finishes on carpets (SCOTCHGUARD, STAINMASTER), clothing (GORE-TEX), and the weather-resistant barrier sheeting used on homes under the exterior siding (TYVEK).

 

The Parkersburg News and the Parkersburg Sentinel

July 2, 2004

LHWA issues contamination notice

By PAMELA BRUST

LITTLE HOCKING - The Little Hocking Water Association has mailed a "notice of contamination" to customers informing them the district's water contains levels of C8 that "may pose serious health risks.''

The notice warns customers to use the water at their own risk.

Ammonium perfluorooctanoate, commonly referred to as C8, has been used by DuPont since the 1950s as part of its manufacturing process, which includes the production of Teflon.

Robin Ollis, with external affairs at the DuPont Washington Works plant, said Friday the company has no further comment regarding the Little Hocking letter other than a press release issued June 30 by the company. The water association mailed its letter on June 28.

"There is no scientific evidence that PFOA causes adverse human health effects in any segment of the human population. In addition, based on expert evaluation of human health and toxicology studies, DuPont remains confident that PFOA does not cause cancer, developmental or any other adverse health effects in humans," according to the release.

"We were notified this week that the Little Hocking Water Association Inc. is distributing a notice of contamination and related information regarding C8, or PFOA in residents' drinking water. This communication references incomplete and misleading information about potential health risks of C8, and inappropriate allegations about DuPont conduct. We look forward to responding in an appropriate forum, at trial in September, where relevant evidence will be presented," said Washington Works plant Manager Paul Bossert.

The water association's letter notifies its customers that in February test results showed levels of C8 in the association production wells as high as 10.10 parts per billion.

"In light of this continuing problem, Little Hocking reminds you that drinking or otherwise using water contaminated with C8 may pose serious health risks and, until a resolution to this problem is secured, you are using this water at your own risk," according to the letter.

The letter signed by Robert L. Griffin, general manger for the water association, outlines the background of the pending class action lawsuit in Wood County Circuit Court.

The suit, filed originally in August 2001 by residents of Washington and Lubeck against DuPont Washington Works, alleges the residents have suffered health problems because of the C8 contamination.

Griffin was out of the office Friday and could not be reached for comment.

Little Hocking Water Association customer Gayle Camp of Vincent said while she was aware of most of the information contained in the letter, it was still disturbing.

"There was nothing that was really a surprise, but I thought it was kind of brazen of them to say you're drinking the water at your own risk right above the part where they tell you they are raising the water rates," Camp said.

Camp said she continues to use the tap water, and is waiting to see what the upcoming trial will reveal.

"I took them at their (DuPont) word when they said they ran tests and there was no hazard. Then we're told that what they were saying was the amount that is in there is not the amount that's really there," she said.

Under a November 2001 agreement with two West Virginia agencies, DuPont began sampling water supplies along the Ohio River. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection notified Little Hocking in January 2002 that sampling results indicated C8 concentrations up to 7.69 ppb in the groundwater supplies.

"To date, neither the federal or state governments have established either air or water pollution standards for C8," the letter notes.


As part of an agreement with the state, industry and government consultants have developed an exposure guideline for C8 in water. In August 2002, a health protective screening level of 150 ppb was set.

"While the levels of C8 detected in our water supply are below the consultant-established guidelines, they are higher than the one part per billion exposure guideline developed by DuPont in the late 1980s or eaerly 1990s," the letter states.

Also listed in the letter is information the district has regarding C8 and health, including that PFOA is "widely found in human blood and does not appear to break down in the environment."

"The Board of Trustees and staff of Little Hocking, together with its consultants and lawyers, are working hard to obtain complete information related to C8 and the scope of contamination, including the possibility of other contaminants. Little Hocking is also researching alternative sources of water and possible treatment options. Nevertheless, please be aware that, until a resolution to this problem is secured, you are drinking or otherwise using water containing C8 and that you do so knowing of possible health risks," Griffin's letter states.