Document O1b67XZ58gZvKpNKDyLEm4YXX

interoffice Correspondence August 20, 1975 Siifiiec! Fluorocarbons in Human Blood Plasma CONFIDENTIAL FROM: KROGH - COMMERICAL CHEMICAL DIVISION - 223-6SE LA2ERTE - COMMERCIAL CHEMICAL DIVISION - 236-1 NEWMARK - CENTRAL RESEARCH - 201-2W PENDERGRASS - MEDICAL DEPARTMENT - 220-2E G, H. CRAWFORD - PHOTOGRAPHIC PRODUCTS - 209-IS Record of a Telephone Conversation - August 14, 1975 Person calling ** Dr, William Guy College of Medlcins University of Florida Gainesville, Florida Dr. Guy called again, following up on the subject {vide my earlier meraojnto see if we had any further ideas as to possible sources of the fluorocarbon carboxylic acids found in human blood samples from Texas and New York. I got John Pendergrass on the line and Guy brought in a Dr. Tays {who apparently was involved in the original observation). The original sampling involved plasma specimens from Albany, New York, Rochester, New York (low natural fluoride in the water) Hillsborough, Texas, Andrews, Texas, and Corpus Christi, Texas (high natural fluoride). .There was no measurable difference by region {1G- 6 molar F" ). F ^ n m r studies run by Prof. Wallace Brey {Dept, of Chem., U. of F.) indicate that the fluorine is organic and the suspected species is fluorocarbon carboxylic acid with a C$ or C? fluoroalkyl group. Dr, Brey suspects a branched end on the chain, e.g. perfluoro t-butyl.*1 The discussion involved Dr. Guy's speculative questions as to where such a "universal" presence of such compounds in human blood could corae from,' {The compounds are not present in laboratory animals.) These included: 1. Biosynthesis from inorganic F". 2. Biosynthesis from aerosol freons {but they don't find chlorine). . 3MA10034962 Trial Exhibit 85 3M M N00000293 Telephone Conversation - O r . William Guy A 1911st 20, 1975 :itgu - 2 - 3, Teflon cookware. 4, "Scotehgarded* fabrics. Somewhere he got the information that 3M's lluorocarbon carboxylic acids are used as surfactants and wanted to know if they were present in "Scotchgard* or other items in general use by the public. We plead ignorance but advised him that ''Scotchgard" was a polymeric material not a f.C. acid. Apparently an earlier *59~l60) study turned up similar quantities of F" in human plasma (not necessarily FC derived); this would presumably antedate the increased use of either "Scotchgard" or "Teflon* cookware. They have done experiments involving water bailed in Teflon cookware with negative results. We suggested obtaining plasma specimens from uncivilized areas, e.g. New Guinea where they don't use too much "Teflon" cookware or "Scotchgard". Of all the unlikely explanations above,the least unlikely is residual FC 143 for whatever) we sell to DuPont to polymerize TFE in Teflon cookware. This is still pretty far-fetched. This was not (I hasten to say) suggested to Dr. Guy. We adopted a position of scientific curiosity and desire to assist in any way possible and suggested t h a 1 our own analytical people might be able to clarify D;:, Bray's NMR findings (I know Wallace Brey from way back. He is highly respected, conservative and not given to frivolous speculations). After we hung up I called C R L Analytical, talked to J o h n McBrady and Richard Newmark. It turns out that Newmark is acquainted with Brey and has, in fact, published in a NMR journal edited by Brey. My recommendation (with J.P.'s concurrence} :.s to get Richard in touch with Brey, obtain spectra for his own interpretation perhaps samples to run on our equipment, etc. in other words, keep scientists talking to scientists in the spirit of cooperative scientific inquiry. On the positive side - if it is confirmed to our satisfaction that everybody is going around with fluorocarbon surfactants in their bloodstreams with rso apparent ill-effects, are there some medical possibilities that would bear Icoking into? Wa 3MA10034963 3M M N00000294 Telephone Conversation - Dr. William Guy August 20, 1975 Page -3know that fluorocarbons are good oxygen carriers (but this is straight FC-75, not dissolved FC 143). Can fluorocarbon surfactants improve the hemodynamics, wetting and capillary permeation of blood in cases of atherosclerosis, kidney blockage, senility and the like? Can hemolysis, platelet destruction and other blood damage during hemodialysis aid cardiovascular surgical procedures be reduced by fluorocarbon surfactants? This is speculation (but not completely wild). I would like to suggest that we consider some animal experiments to see just how much of these materials can, in fact, be tolerated in the bloodstream - both from a defensive point of view and for the above (to me) intriguing reasons. What do you think, John? GHC/lr 3MA10034964 3M M N00000295