CHICAGO, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Cyclopure announced the inclusion of its PFAS Water Test Kit in a pilot program being conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). CDPHE is piloting the program called the “PFAS Testing and Assistance Program” (TAP) to provide private well testing for residents of Bailey Colorado. Testing is designed to help the Department gather additional groundwater data and assist in minimizing exposure to PFAS for private well owners in the area.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals, also referred to as “Forever Chemicals,” that have been used for decades in industrial and consumer products. PFAS do not break down in the environment and are now pervasive in drinking water supplies around the world. The chemicals can accumulate in the body over years and are toxic in low concentrations. The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that “long-term exposure to certain types of PFAS have been linked to serious illnesses, including cancer, liver damage and high cholesterol.”
To limit exposure to PFAS in drinking water, the EPA issued first-ever enforceable drinking water limits earlier this month for five PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, GenX, and PFNA). EPA estimates the rule will reduce PFAS exposure for 100 million people nationally. In addition, the agency also adopted health-based, non-enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for each of the five compounds. An MCLG is the maximum level for a contaminant in drinking water without negative health effects. EPA set the MCLG at zero for each of PFOA and PFOS.
With the establishment of new PFAS health-based limits, testing of drinking water is critical to identify risks of PFAS exposure. While the new rules include monitoring requirements for public water systems, testing individual wells for PFAS is left to the homeowner.
“We are pleased to assist CDPHE in their pilot program to provide PFAS testing of wells to residents of Bailey. The Department has moved quickly to provide test services to groups not covered by testing mandates under the new EPA rules,” stated Frank Cassou, CEO at Cyclopure. “Developed with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, it’s nice to see the company’s PFAS water test kit now used as a detection tool by communities.”
During the one-year pilot program, CDPHE will provide Cyclopure’s water test kit to eligible Bailey residents to test their well water for PFAS. Testing is performed by grab sample where participants pass water through a DEXSORB-loaded extraction disc in a collection cup. Real-time PFAS capture secures contaminant concentrations in actual conditions before analysis. Collection cups are returned to the company’s Chicago labs for PFAS analysis using isotope dilution. Shipping of a water sample is not required. Participants receive detailed reports of PFAS concentrations for up to 55 PFAS compounds.
The company has now tested over 10,000 water samples for PFAS using its water test kit. The kit has been used by Federal and State agencies, research institutions, environmental groups, water treatment providers, and households. The company has plans to make the test kit available soon for residents of Japan in coordination with an affiliate partner.
About Cyclopure:
Cyclopure is a materials science and environmental engineering firm headquartered in Chicago, IL. The company has developed a novel adsorbent (tradename DEXSORB®) with high selectivity for PFAS removal in diverse water matrices. DEXSORB is being commercialized for multiple PFAS-related uses, including (i) environmental testing, (ii) residential filtration, and (iii) large-scale treatment systems.
Media Contact:
Maribeth Broms
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Email: [email protected]
SOURCE Cyclopure Inc.
