Article Text
Virginia health officials are warning residents not to eat largemouth bass caught in parts of the Occoquan Watershed after testing found elevated levels of a potentially harmful manmade chemical.
Samples of largemouth bass and bluegill sunfish contained elevated concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate, or PFOS, the Virginia Department of Health announced Tuesday. The chemical has been used in products including carpeting and firefighting foam.
PFOS exposure has been associated with increased cholesterol, changes in liver enzymes, reduced antibody response to some vaccines, pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia and lower birth weight, according to the department.
Officials recommend eating no largemouth bass caught in the Occoquan River or Occoquan Reservoir. People should limit themselves to no more than two meals per month of largemouth bass from the Broad Run area.
The two-meal monthly limit also applies to bluegill sunfish caught in the Occoquan Reservoir or Broad Run.
The advisory includes the tidal Occoquan River from the reservoir dam downstream to Occoquan Bay, including Belmont Bay. It also covers reservoir backwaters along the Bull Run arm near Hemlock Overlook Regional Park and the Occoquan River arm from just upstream of Davis Ford Road to the Fairfax County Water Authority supply dam.
Anyone who chooses to eat fish from the affected waters should reduce the number of servings and select younger fish, which are less likely to have accumulated harmful contaminant levels.
The advisory affects waters in Fairfax, Prince William and Fauquier counties and Manassas. Swimming, boating and other recreational activities are not affected.