New government sponsored research shows that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or C8, a chemical used in the production of non-stick cookware, has been found in high levels in the blood of residents in four southeastern Ohio communities. C8 is very persistent in the environment, does not biodegrade, and was found as a contaminant in well water several miles from factories using it. C8 levels more than 60 to 80 times higher than those typically found in the general population were measured in this random sampling of 326 residents in Belpre, Little Hocking, Cutler and Vincent, OH.

Once inside the human body, C8 is stored in fatty tissues such as the breast, brain and liver, and is very slowly eliminated. Exposure studies on laboratory animals showed carcinogenic potential, but no studies on human exposure are currently available. The manufacturer of C8 claims ground-water contamination is not a possible route of exposure.

Source: Environmental News Service; www.ens-news.com