Menu

EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

Donate

Perfluoro(3,5,7,9-tetraoxadecanoic) acid (PFO4DA)

Status: No national drinking water standard exists

 

Perfluoro(3,5,7,9-tetraoxadecanoic) acid (PFO4DA) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFO4DA and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.

2017-2019:

FOUND
FOUND ABOVE HEALTH GUIDELINES

1

states detected

2

utilities detected

153,000

people served

0

states over health guideline

0

utilities over health guideline

0

people served over health guideline

Health concerns for PFO4DA

Cancer

Harm to the immune system

Hormone disruption

Harm to fetal growth and child development

Harm to the liver

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 1 ppt

The EWG Health Guideline of 1 ppt for PFO4DA was defined by EWG as based on studies by Phillipe Grandjean of Harvard University and many other independent researchers who found reduced effectiveness of vaccines and adverse impacts on mammary gland development from exposure to PFOA and PFOS, the two PFAS most widely detected in drinking water. This health guideline protects against applies to the entire class of PFAS detected in water.

ppt = parts per trillion

States reporting PFO4DA in drinking water

UTILITIES WITH CONTAMINATION
State UtilitiesPeople Served
North Carolina2153,292
MORE
LESS

Filtering technologies that reduce PFO4DA

Activated Carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Utilities with the highest amounts of PFO4DA, 2017-2019

ALL UTILITIES
LARGE UTILITIES
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
College View Mobile Home ParkWilmington, NC1 of 40.505 ppt90
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - WilmingtonWilmington, NC2 of 110.386 ppt153,202
UtilityLocationTestsAverage levelPeople served
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority - WilmingtonWilmington, NC2 of 110.386 ppt153,202