Study Details
GenX is a chemical used in Teflon production and has been detected in the Cape Fear River – the drinking water source for numerous North Carolina communities. GenX is part of a family of chemicals known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
The study was designed to answer three questions:
The GenX Exposure Study is currently working in Wilmington and Fayetteville communities. All study participants are ages 6 and older, men and nonpregnant women, and willing to provide blood, urine, and questionnaire information. Additionally, the two communities have location-specific eligibility requirements:
| Wilmington | Fayetteville |
|---|---|
| 344 Residents of Wilmington on the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority water | 153 Residents near the chemical plant in Fayetteville whose wells were previously tested for GenX |
| People have lived in New Hanover County since Nov. 2016 | People from the Fayetteville area who have lived at an address listed as being tested by the Department of Environmental Quality or Chemours since July 2016 |
| Primary drinking water source is from the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority |
For a full list of chemicals we tested for, visit our What We Are Measuring page. Testing included clinical measures: lipids, thyroid, and a metabolic panel.
| Wilmington (initial sampling in November 2017 and repeat sampling in May 2018) | Fayetteville (February 2019) |
|---|---|
| Blood | Blood |
| Urine | Urine |
| Tap water | Tap water |
| Well water | |
| House Dust | |
| Wristbands |
Wilmington Water
We took tap water samples of New Hanover County residents in November-December 2017 and May 2018. In the 2017 samples, we found that GenX was present in most tap water samples from homes served by the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority’s Sweeney Water Treatment Plant. To learn about what else we found, read the April 2018 Report Back Letter.
In the 2018 samples, we did not find GenX in most of the homes. Overall, the May 2018 samples showed that the GenX levels in both the tap water and the treated water from the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant decreased since November 2017. To learn more about our results, read the April 2019 Report Back Letter.
Wilmington Blood
Fayetteville Water
In Cumberland and Bladen County, we took well water samples in addition to tap water samples. In addition to GenX, we found 10 other PFAS. Samples with higher GenX levels were more likely to have higher levels of other PFAS too. To learn more about what we found, read the May 2020 Report Back Letter.