A study looking at the effects of GenX on pregnant mice found the chemical compound causes serious problems in both mother and offspring.
The research showed a small dose of GenX caused significant lesions in the livers of the mother and decreased body weight in offspring. The male offspring also developed metabolic disease.
Co-author Suzanne Fenton at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says the study was designed to be used in risk assessment.
"We hope that it can be used in any way that can be helpful to protect the people that have been living in the Wilmington area, and being exposed to it for probably decades."
North Carolina's Science Advisory Board reviewed the study earlier this week. In October 2018, the board issued recommendations for state environmental regulators about how much GenX to allow in drinking water based on research available at the time. The GenX levels examined in this new study were even lower.