3M chemicals found in residents' blood

Toxic compounds have lingered and accumulated in the blood of east-metro residents who drank water tainted with 3M chemicals, a new state study shows.

State health officials said it's unclear what the long-term health effects of those substances might be because studies have been limited and difficult to interpret.

But the analysis of blood samples from 196 adults in Lake Elmo, Cottage Grove and Oakdale found that levels of three toxic compounds were above the national average -- twice the average for one chemical and four times for another.

Still, health officials downplayed any need for concern at this point.

"Based on the studies we have right now, we aren't aware of any increased risk of disease based on these very low levels," said Jean Johnson, program director for environmental health tracking at the Minnesota Department of Health.

But Cottage Grove Mayor Myron Bailey said that he doesn't think many citizens will be assured that water is totally safe if contaminants in blood are higher than national averages. "If we're getting those kinds of readings for people on private wells, I'd like to see how people on public systems are doing," Bailey said.

He plans to ask health officials to test those who have been drinking city water, where 3M chemicals have been detected but are below health risk levels. If the chemicals accumulate in blood, said Bailey, low concentrations in water may not be safe enough.

Tests in three communities

The study was designed to find people who had been drinking water known to be contaminated with 3M chemicals. About half of the people live in Oakdale, where city water from one well was found to be tainted in late 2004 and was later remedied by a 3M-financed filtration system. The other half live in Lake Elmo and Cottage Grove, where private wells were found to contain contaminants.

Johnson said the average age of those tested was 53, and the average time they'd lived in their homes was 18 to 20 years. Identities of participants are private, she said. Those who requested results were sent letters last February and March.

The compounds, known as perfluorochemicals, were manufactured by 3M in its Cottage Grove plant for more than 50 years until 2002. They were used in Scotchgard, Teflon, firefighting foam and hundreds of other products. The company disposed of wastes in area dumps until the mid-1970s.

3M agreed in 2007 to clean up the chemicals in three locations that it owns, and to help pay for removing wastes from the former Washington County landfill in Lake Elmo. The company has also financed hookups with city water for more than 200 households with private wells in Lake Elmo.

Samuel Yamin, a public health scientist for the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, disagreed with the health department's conclusion that the 3M chemicals in blood samples were "slightly higher than the national average."

"I would characterize it differently," said Yamin. "Significantly higher than the national average." He agreed that the numbers do not allow anyone to predict health effects or risks.

How the numbers stack up

Johnson said the national average for one of the chemicals, PFOS, is about 20 parts per billion in human blood, and the average in the east-metro samples was 36. Another compound, PFOA, is found nationally at levels of about 4 parts per billion, but in the east metro area was 15.4.

The range in the study was from 3 to 448 parts per billion for PFOS, and from 1.6 to 177 parts per billion for PFOA.

Another chemical found in all blood samples is known as PFHxS, although little is known about its potential effects.

Jim Kelly, MDH health risk assessor, said the averages measured in Minnesota are substantially below blood levels for 3M workers who formerly made the chemicals. Their levels averaged 440 for PFOS and 850 for PFOA. 3M has reported that studies of those employees show no adverse impacts on their health. Other studies on animals have shown effects on the liver, thyroid and pancreas, but it's unclear whether those problems are likely to affect humans and at what levels of exposure.

Kelly said that the chemicals accumulate in blood, but the body will eventually eliminate them. Concentrations of PFOA will drop by half in three or four years, he said, and about a year longer for PFOS. Since 3M and some other manufacturers have stopped making the chemicals, said Kelly, national studies have shown levels in blood are decreasing.

Impact on lawsuit unclear

It's unclear whether the findings will have any legal impact. Four Washington County residents sued 3M because of water contamination, but their medical claims were rejected by Washington County Judge Mary Hannon. A jury decided last month that the remaining claims of property damage were not justified.

Rob Bilott, an attorney for the citizens, had no comment Thursday on whether the case will be appealed. "We have not yet seen the actual data, but the results that the state is reporting in its press releases would appear to be consistent with other studies and data collected to date," he said.

Health officials have scheduled two meetings to discuss the study, and said they plan further analysis. There are no plans to expand the study, said Johnson, but an advisory group has recommended that the same people be tested in a few years to see whether concentrations in their blood have changed.

The public meetings scheduled are:

• July 21 at Skyview Elementary School, 1100 Heron Ave. N. in Oakdale.

• July 22 at Cottage Grove's city council chambers, 7516 80th St. S.

Both have an open house at 6 p.m., and a presentation at 7 p.m.

Tom Meersman • 612-673-7388