DEQ-CFW_00078158

1190=111RAKII�
- GenX is a chemical used in the manufacturing of fluoropolymer resins, which are used for
nonstick coatings and other purposes. GenX is part of the perfluorinated family of compounds
that includes the chemicals PFOSand PFOA. |nJOO9,GenXwas developed asareplacement for
According to media reports, the GenX in the Cape Fear River is originating from Chemours Co. at
Fayetteville Works, a facility 100 miles upstream from Wilmington. GenX has been detected in
water treated by the [ape Fear Public Utility Authority as detailed in the article by Sun et a|.^
The recent media reports onGenXinthe Cape Fear River are associated with the paper written
by Sun etal. This paper was published inNovember 2016. Media reports cite Blng/L
concentrations of GenX detected in the Cape Fear River. This number is taken from the Sun et al.
article based on data from 2013-2014. It is not known whether these levels reflect the current
concentrations of GenX in the Cape Fear River.
- Limited health information isavailable for GenX. PFOAand PFOS(chemicals that are part ofthe
same family of fluorinated compounds) were recently reviewed by the EPA and the most
common effects observed in laboratory tests were kidney and testicular cancer, impaired fetal
development, and effects on the liver, thyroid, and immune system. The EPA recently released a
Health Advisory with recommendations for drinking water not to exceed 70 parts per trillion (70
nu/L)for PFOSand PFOAcombined.z
There are no U.S. regulatory guideline levels for GenX. However, as part of the European
chemical registration, a 2-year chronic toxicity and cancer study with rats was performed. They
reported a Derived No Effect Level (DNEL) ufU.Ol mg/kg bw/day. Based on U.S. risk assessment
calculations, this corresponds to a concentration in drinking water of 70,909 ng/L of GenX- more
than 100 times greater than the mean value of 631 ng/L detected in the Cape Fear River. Based
upon these data, the GenX levels detected in 2013-2014 would be expected to pose a low risk to
human health.
This summary covers GenXon|yanddoesnotaddressotherpo|y-orperUuohnatedcompounds
that might be present. This summary is preliminary and subject to change as additional
information becomes available.
Sun etal. Legacy and Emerging Perfluoma|hyl Substances Are Important Drinking Water Contaminants inthe Cape
Fear River Watershed of North Carolina. Environmental Science & Technology Letters. Nov 2016.00|:
10.1021/ao.eu|euabou398.
uscpA.Drinking Water Health Advisories for ppoxand pros.
OEQ-CFVV_00078158