Proposed study could show health impacts of GenX on humans

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wednesday night we learned a proposed study could bring much needed answers to the mystery surrounding GenX in the Cape Fear River and its impact on our community.

Clean Cape Fear along with CFCC’s Sustainability Committee held its ‘Water Wednesday Forum’ in Downtown Wilmington, but this time it was an evening with scientists.

Aside from GenX, this week’s panel of scientists, including Dr. Detlef Knappe, are trying to understand the other unknown compounds in our water.

“There are many compounds in the water that we drink,” ECU Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology Associate Professor, Dr. Jamie DeWitt said. “Many of these compounds have not been tested. We make assumptions about their safety but we don’t really know, do we? And that’s the scary part.”

It is the uncertainty of the impact those chemicals will have on people who drink the water, that brought so many to the forum tonight. Several people asking questions about the other compounds like concerned resident David Donovan.

“Are they similar to GenX? Will the filtering that we’re doing right now with Reverse Osmosis, will it stop those chemicals too,” Donovan said.

To date, NCSU Deputy Director for Center for Human Health and the Environment Dr. Jane Hoppin said there have been no studies to show the impact that GenX has on peoples’ health, until now.

“We are planning to submit a grant proposal to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to help generate preliminary data to answers some of the questions that are arising from the community about GenX,” Hoppin said.

The new study would give scientist Dr. Hoppin the chance to dig deeper, testing human health affects rather than animals.

“Like lipid profiles and thyroid function, to see if there’s any changes in those for people who have higher or lower levels,” Hoppin said. “So we’ll do a small study to help us learn enough to go forward with maybe a bigger study or to answer more questions.”

Dr. Hoppin plans to submit the proposal next week. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences grant program is time sensitive so she, and others, are hoping they are selected.