Document 15Y7k5Zj4Kxwjn3oOYgywmoQZ
TSCA Section 8(e)
~226 . 3 7~" 7
Office October
23,
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200 6 Page 6
Attachment 2
DuPont First Chemical Blood Monitoring EIB Provided to Mississippi DEQ (2 pages)
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DuPont First Chemical Blood Monitoring EIB
As part of an ongoing industrial hygiene program, DuPont First Chemical has been monitoring PFOA levels in blood samples taken from employee volunteers . Biological monitoring allows us to assess the effectiveness of our industrial hygiene controls .
In 2003, we analyzed samples taken from 73 employee volunteers prior to the startup of a process to produce firefighting foam surfactants . We have just analyzed blood samples taken from 93 employees, some of whom had baseline samples collected in 2003 .
The results of both sampling campaigns show levels of PFOA typically found in the general population .
These background, or non-occupational, levels average about 5 parts per billion (ppb) and range up to about 50 ppb. During baseline monitoring in 2003, DuPont First Chemical's employee exposure levels averaged 5 .9 parts per billion ; during follow-up monitoring in 2006, employee exposure levels averaged 7 .9 ppb . (Table attached)
Slight differences between 2003 and 2006 sampling may be due to method variability . Because these results are consistent with background levels, they do not appear to result from occupational exposure to PFOA .
In studies of worker blood levels at facilities where PFOA is made or used, occupational exposures average between approximately 500 parts per billion (0 .5 ppm) and approximately 7,000 ppb (7 ppm), with some historical exposures exceeding 100,000 ppb (100 ppm).
To date, there are no human health effects known to be caused by PFOA . Based on health and toxicological studies conducted by DuPont and other researchers, DuPont believes the weight of evidence indicates that PFOA exposure does not pose a health risk to the general public .
If you have any questions about DuPont First Chemical's industrial hygiene program or about the results of the current round of blood monitoring, please contact me at 938-2285 .
Thank you, and have a safe day .
Sincerely, Steve Dawson, CI H FCC Occupational Health Manager
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Synopsis : 2003, 2006 Blood Monitoring Results (averages) *
2003 2006
Campaign Campaign
(prior to (N=93)
process
startup - entire
group
N=73)
Entire Cohort Employees with only 200 6
5.9 b 7 .9 b
samples
Employees with potential -- 8 .1 ppb
exposure (no baseline )
Employees with no potential for -- 8 .5 ppb
exposure (b aseline)
Job Assignments with 2003 and
2006 Result s Operators with potential 5 .7 ppb 8 . 8 ppb
exposure Maintenance 6 .5 b 7 .7 b
Lab 7 .6 b 8 .4 b
Employees with no 4 .9 ppb 7 ppb occupational exposure (office , operators from other areas, etc .)
* Results have been rounded to one decimal plac e.