Institute of General Organic Chemistry (IQOG-CSIC)

Science journal has published a global map showing exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through the consumption of fish products. PFAS are substances that are difficult to break down, meaning they can accumulate in the body, and some are linked to health problems. The authors collected data over 20 years from PFAS measurements in the marine environment and fisheries, and mapped the concentrations of these compounds in more than 200 species of marine fish. The study shows that international fish trade redistributes the risk of PFAS exposure from highly polluted regions to less exposed areas, with European trade playing a key role in increasing the risk of exposure to these substances. 

Ahead of the anticipated conclusion of a United Nations global treaty on plastics, a group of international experts calls for greater attention to health effects when addressing plastic pollution. The work, published in The Lancet, reviews current evidence on how plastics—including microplastics and plastic chemicals—affect health, and announces the launch of a new project to monitor these effects.

A "large fraction" of groundwater samples are contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and would be considered unacceptable for drinking water, a study claims. The analysis, published by Nature Geoscience, brings together data from 273 studies of surface and groundwater samples from around the world since 2004. The exact proportion of samples exceeding the thresholds varies according to the standards considered. For example, 69% of groundwater samples with no known source of contamination exceed the Canadian threshold, but the figure is only 6% if the EU criterion for the sum of all PFASs is considered.