Trichloroethylene (TCE) was a main contaminant in the water at Camp Lejeune.
Researchers have known for decades that TCE water contamination and exposure have been linked to severe health problems.
TCE and Parkinson’s Disease Risk
TCE presents a major risk for developing Parkinson’s Disease.
The chemical has been used in a variety of industries for decades, and researchers believe that its widespread use may be contributing to the growing number of Parkinson’s Disease cases we are seeing today.
Below is a list of scientific studies linking TCE exposure and Parkinson’s Disease:
- Risk of Parkinson Disease Among Service Members at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune (May 2023)
- Trichloroethylene: An Invisible Cause of Parkinson’s Disease? (March 2023)
- Trichloroethylene, a ubiquitous environmental contaminant in the risk for Parkinson’s disease (January 2020)
- Trichloroethylene (TCE) Is A Risk Factor For Parkinsonism, Study Shows (January 2008)
- The industrial solvent trichloroethylene induces LRRK2 kinase activity and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease (June 2021)
- Trichloroethylene and Parkinson’s Disease: Risk Assessment (December 2017)
- Trichloroethylene and Parkinson’s disease: dissolving the puzzle (January 2014)
- Solvents and Parkinson disease: A systematic review of toxicological and epidemiological evidence (February 2013)
- Trichloroethylene: Parkinsonism and complex 1 mitochondrial neurotoxicity (February 2008)
- Toxin Models of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease (March 2012)
- Trichloroethylene and parkinsonism: a human and experimental observation (February 2003)
- Industrial toxicants and Parkinson’s disease (March 2012)
- Solvent exposures and parkinson disease risk in twins (November 2011)
How Does TCE Cause Parkinson’s Disease?
According to researchers at the University of Rochester, animal studies have indicated that TCE exposure causes:
“…selective loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease in humans”.
The water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated by TCE for decades.
The source of the TCE in the water supply at Camp Lejeune was likely an off-base dry cleaner.
TCE is widely used as a dry cleaning agent, as well as a metal degreaser.
Exposure to TCE can happen in many ways, but most commonly through ingestion of contaminated drinking water, as we’ve seen at Camp Lejeune.
TCE can linger in contaminated water and air for quite some time.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Updates TCE Risk Evaluation
In January 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a Final Evaluation for Trichloroethylene, which stated the following:
“EPA determined that TCE, as a whole chemical substance, presents unreasonable risk to human health.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) thoroughly evaluated the health risks associated with TCE, highlighting concerns such as developmental toxicity, reproductive toxicity, liver toxicity, kidney toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and cancer.
Inhalation or dermal exposures to TCE have been identified as the primary factors contributing to these risks.
Based on the EPA’s assessment, it has been determined that 52 out of 54 conditions of use of TCE, including manufacturing, import, processing, industrial and commercial uses, consumer uses, and disposal, present an unreasonable risk of injury to health.
This comprehensive evaluation underscores the serious nature of the health hazards associated with TCE exposure, including Parkinson’s Disease.
However, it is important to note that two out of 54 conditions of use, specifically consumer use of TCE in pepper spray and distribution in commerce, have not been identified as driving the unreasonable risk.
