The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey), Staff
Published April 17, 2007
Q. According to our local paper, a known carcinogen, PFOA, has been found in the water supply in our state. Would a water filter help eliminate this chemical, or should we begin using store-bought drinking water? What kind of water-filter system is the best? I have young children in the house. - L.S., e-mail A. Having confidence in the water we drink is an important quality-of-life issue. The compound you refer to is perfluorooctanoic acid, one of a group of chemicals known as PFCs - perfluorinated chemicals. PFOA is utilized in the manufacture of certain nonstick cookware and breathable all-weather clothing. Along with other PFCs, it is a widespread, persistent pollutant and not something you would willingly invite into your drinking water.
Very low pollution levels have been found in the general population, reflecting the level of this chemical in the environment. It is known that higher exposures to these compounds can cause adverse effects in experimental animals, but the unanswered question is, at what level are people, including children, harmed?
We have a way to go before we can answer this. Scientists are still collecting data on where these contaminants are and at what level they are present. One Swedish study, for example, in the February issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found that the PFCs (including PFOA) could be passed from mother to child through breast milk.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has information posted at
www.tinyurl.com/2naksh. There are resources and background information from the Environmental Protection Agency at
www.epa.gov/oppt/pfoa. You can find additional information posted by the Environmental Working Group at
www.tinyurl.com/3yn9vy.
As for your question about filtering devices, I reviewed a number of sources, including companies selling pitchers or faucet devices with activated carbon-filtration cartridges. This method can filter out PFOA, but will it do this reliably? These cartridges have a limited capacity, and they filter other substances less dangerous than PFOA.
You don't say whether your personal water supply has been tested for PFOA and other PFCs. You will need to find out the nature of the problem by reviewing an actual report of what is in your water. According to the EPA, "Each year by July 1 you should receive in the mail a short report (consumer confidence report, or drinking water quality report) from your water supplier that tells where your water comes from and what's in it."
With such a report in hand, you can determine whether your water represents a problem for you and your family. If necessary, you can then consult with a toxicologist who has expertise in water filtration.
"On Nutrition" appears each week in Savor. Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Newspaper Enterprise Association, 200 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016. For e-mail, address inquiries to:
ed@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided. Ed Blonz, Ph.D., is a nutrition scientist and the author of "Power Nutrition" (Signet, 1998) and the "Your Personal Nutritionist" book series (Signet, 1996).
