A recent investigation by the team at Stockholm University has shed new light on the behavior of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS.
These substances, often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their persistent nature, have been a growing concern due to their harmful impact on human health and the environment.
Traditionally, it was believed that PFAS made their way from land to sea, diluting into the ocean’s depths over many years.
However, this study, published in Science Advances, introduces a startling discovery: PFAS are not just settling into the oceanic abyss but are bouncing back into the atmosphere through the action of ocean waves, thus completing a concerning cycle from land to sea to air.
Professor Ian Cousins, a co-author of the study, highlights the surprising nature of their findings.
The research challenges the previously held notion that once PFAS reached the oceans, their journey ended there, gradually dispersing in the vast waters.
Instead, the study unveils a “boomerang effect” where these toxic chemicals are re-emitted into the air, carried over long distances, and eventually finding their way back onto land.
The evidence was gathered through extensive fieldwork across the Atlantic Ocean. Co-authors Bo Sha and Jana Johansson, alongside their research team, embarked on a two-month-long expedition, meticulously collecting data with a specially designed sea spray simulator.
Their findings were stark, revealing that air particles over the ocean can contain PFAS concentrations exceeding those in seawater by more than 100,000 times.
This re-emission from the ocean’s surface back into the atmosphere presents a significant, previously underappreciated pathway for PFAS to spread globally.
The implications of this cyclical transport are profound, particularly for coastal regions. PFAS are notorious for their link to several health issues, including cancer, fertility problems, and immune system impairments.
Coastal communities, therefore, might face heightened risks due to this continuous cycle of PFAS pollution. Supporting this concern, Matthew Salter, another co-author, points to studies from Denmark where the sea has been identified as a primary PFAS source along the west coast.
This groundbreaking study not only challenges existing beliefs about the fate of PFAS in the natural environment but also raises urgent questions about how to tackle the spread of these harmful chemicals.
With coastal regions potentially at greater risk, the findings underscore the need for global cooperation in managing PFAS pollution.
The “forever chemicals” may have earned their nickname from their persistence in the environment, but this research emphasizes the critical need for solutions to mitigate their enduring impact on human health and ecosystems worldwide.
The research findings can be found in Science Advances.
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