Researchers Find U.S. Freshwater Fish Are Highly Contaminated With PFAS
The spread of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — also known as “forever chemicals,” and arguably the most high-profile drinking water contaminant in the country — appears even more pervasive than previously thought, according to new research into the contaminants’ impact on the environment.
“Eating just one serving of freshwater fish each year could have the same effect as drinking water heavily polluted with ‘forever chemicals’ for an entire month, a new study finds,” The Hill reported. “The equivalent monthlong amount of water would be contaminated at levels 2,400 times greater than what’s recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) drinking water health advisories.”
The researchers evaluated different types of PFAS present in more than 500 fish filet samples, collected from across the country from 2013 to 2015. The researchers suggested that commercially caught fish might be less contaminated, as they are raised in more controlled environments, and that ocean-caught fish likely come from environments where PFAS pollution is more diluted.
The revelations come as PFAS are under increasing scrutiny, following growing evidence that they cause adverse health effects when consumed and are virtually omnipresent. As the dangers of PFAS are coming to light, federal- and state-level regulations are being introduced to restrict their presence in wastewater, source water, and drinking water.
It is still not clear if or how authorities will attempt to better protect consumers from this latest danger of PFAS contamination.
“Despite the findings, the EPA and the FDA have not warned consumers or those fishing about the dangers of eating what they catch,” The Guardian reported. “Fish advisories are typically issued at the state level and differ across the country, and most are based on outdated EPA health advisories that allow much higher levels of chemicals than do the revised levels issued this year.”
As regulators crack down on PFAS consumption across the board, it seems likely that these limits will reach freshwater fish consumption as well, eventually. In the meantime, this new research serves as yet another reminder of just how pervasive these contaminants are throughout the environment, particularly in our water.
To read more about how regulators limit contaminants in public water and wastewater systems, visit Water Online’s Regulations And Legislation Solutions Center.