Altötting (dpa / lby) - Increased levels of a chemical have been discovered in drinking water samples in the district of Altötting. The guide value for the substance HFPO-DA of 0.011 micrograms per liter was exceeded in December 2022, the district office in Altötting and the state office for health and food safety (LGL) announced on Friday. However, a health hazard for the population can currently be ruled out due to the slight excess, the LGL emphasized on request.
The substance, also known as GenX, is a chemical compound that belongs to the group of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). The toxicity is rated somewhat lower than, for example, with the possibly carcinogenic chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). According to the LGL, however, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) classified HFPO-DA as a "substance of very high concern". Data on the toxicity of GenX in humans are not yet available. The Altötting health department has asked the drinking water suppliers to take measures to permanently reduce the content of the substance in drinking water below the guide value.
A few years ago, contamination of drinking water in the Altötting area with PFOA caused a stir. According to the Federal Environment Agency, PFOA does not degrade in the environment and is already widespread throughout the world. According to the Federal Environment Agency, the chemical is toxic to humans and harmful to reproduction. In 2018, 906 people from the region who were not professionally involved with the substance gave blood voluntarily. According to information from 2020, a so-called human biomonitoring value was exceeded in 761 of the samples.
At that time, the district office had initiated the renovation of the drinking water supply - among other things, activated carbon filters were installed. PFOA was used legally by companies in the Gendorf chemical park in Burgkirchen an der Alz, not far from Altötting. However, the chemical has not been allowed to be manufactured in the EU since 2020.
