An international consortium of scientists from the University of Rhode Island in the United States and the Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Germany has identified the movement of so-called eternal chemicals in the straits bridging the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. The findings appear in Environmental Science and Technology Letters, a peer reviewed journal. The work highlights how stubborn PFAS compounds travel between large ocean basins and settle in far flung marine environments, underscoring their persistence and potential impacts on health and ecosystems. attribution: ESTL
PFAS, or per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, form a broad family of chemical pollutants renowned for their exceptional stability. They resist breakdown in nature and can accumulate in both wildlife and humans. Long exposure to PFAS has been linked to a range of health concerns, including cancer risk and organ dysfunction. Despite these risks, PFAS are widely used to impart oil and water repellency to a variety of consumer and industrial products. attribution: ESTL
The researchers traced the exchange of PFAS between Arctic and Atlantic waters to Fram Strait, a gateway near the Spitsbergen archipelago. attribution: ESTL
To track the pollutants, the team deployed passive sampling systems that draw PFAS from flowing water into a sorbent filled microporous membrane. The devices were placed at three Fram Strait sites and deployed at four different depths to capture vertical and horizontal variations in concentration. attribution: ESTL
Analyses conducted with chromatography and mass spectrometry revealed that Fram Bay contained at least ten distinct PFAS species, each detected at varying levels. Some compounds were found at depths exceeding one kilometer, illustrating the widespread reach of these stubborn chemicals. attribution: ESTL
From the data, the team estimated that roughly 123 tonnes of PFAS enter northern waters from the Atlantic Ocean each year, while about 110 tonnes move in the opposite direction over the same period. These exchanges demonstrate a dynamic, oceanic cycling of persistent pollutants that crosses hemispheres and climate zones. attribution: ESTL
In related measurements, researchers noted elevated PFAS levels in the bodies of rare dolphins, signaling bioaccumulation and potential long term effects on marine mammals. attribution: ESTL