Scientists say C8 exposure toxic, in more ways than one
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C8, aka Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) |
July 31, 2012 ·
A panel of scientists found more links between the chemical known as C8 and some forms of cancer. More findings were released yesterday.
The three-member C8 science panel says there's a probable link between exposure to a chemical used by a DuPont plant in West Virginia and both thyroid disease and ulcerative colitis. The panel was created in 2005 as part of a class-action lawsuit that claimed C8 contaminated water supplies in Ohio and West Virginia.
In April, the panel found a probable link between the chemical and testicular and kidney cancers, and dangerously high blood pressure among pregnant women; but yesterday the panel announced that they found no links between C8 and some other health issues, including stroke, asthma, and children's neuro-developmental disorders.
The DuPont chemical company based near Parkersberg uses the chemical in the manufacture of such prominent consumer goods as Teflon and Gore-Tex. It has also been detected in industrial waste, stain resistant carpets, carpet cleaning liquids,and various food packaging.
C8 has in fact been detected in low amounts in the blood of more than 98 percent of the general US population.
DuPont still uses C8 at the plant near Parkersburg and plans to stop making and using it by 2015.