New U.S. research on alleged “forever chemicals” in seafood, which was released on Friday, calls for the establishment of more stringent public health recommendations for the permissible daily intake of marine fish and shellfish.
According to a news release from the study’s authors, seafood consumption among 1,829 “Granite Slaters” in New Hampshire may have an impact on exposure to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are man-made chemicals linked to cancer, fetal abnormalities, high cholesterol, thyroid, liver, and reproductive disorders in humans.
The research, which was published in the journal Exposure and Health, aimed to bridge the knowledge gap regarding the risk-benefit ratio of consuming seafood by comparing an analysis of PFAS concentrations in fresh seafood with a statewide survey of eating habits. This would enable people to make educated diet decisions, especially for vulnerable groups like expectant mothers and children.
The study also drew upon a wealth of information compiled by the state regarding additional sources of pervasive and persistent additives (PFAS), including drinking water, plastics, non-stick coatings, firefighting foams, and many more. These sources are a legacy of the toxins’ molecular stability, which confers versatility, but also renders them nearly unbreakable, hence the term “forever chemicals.”
The majority of current study focuses on PFAS levels in freshwater species, which do not constitute the majority of human diets. We saw it as a gap in the research, particularly for a New England state where we know people enjoy seafood,” Megan Romano, an epidemiology associate professor at Geisel Medical School and study co-author, said.
The highest concentrations were found in shrimp and lobster, which could average as high as 1.74 and 3.30 nanograms per gram, according to tests for 26 PFAS types in samples of the most popular species, including cod, haddock, lobster, salmon, scallop, shrimp, and tuna that were bought fresh from a market along the state’s coast. Overall readings for the other species were less than 1 nanogram per gram.
The study noted that because PFAS are so widely distributed in the environment, it is challenging to determine exactly where and how the chemicals enter the marine food chain. However, it also cautioned that because shellfish live and feed on the seafloor and are close to sources of PFAS that enter the sea from land, they may be especially vulnerable to PFAS buildup in their cells.
Furthermore, by consuming smaller species that have PFAS deposits, larger marine animals may consume PFAS.
Approximately one ounce of seafood is consumed daily by men and women in New Hampshire, which is more than the national average for both and higher than the amounts reported by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for the northeast. This information was gathered from the team’s eating survey. Children in New Hampshire between the ages of 2 and 11 consumed 0.2 ounces per day, which was at the highest end of the national average for children.
Almost all adults said they had eaten seafood in the past year, with 94% reporting having done so in the previous month and 2/3 having done so in the previous week. However, the data showed notable variations based on the respondents’ socioeconomic class and place of residence.
In contrast to those with higher incomes who ate seafood less frequently, over 60% of those with annual household incomes under $45,000 reported eating seafood at least once a week.
Given that seafood is a recognized source of lean protein and omega fatty acids, Romano said the study’s advise was not to avoid it but rather to raise awareness of a potentially underreported source of PFAS exposure in people.
The authors emphasized that stricter safety regulations are particularly needed in coastal areas like New England, where fish is an essential part of the local way of life due to PFAS contamination and industrial pollution.
“PFAS are not limited to manufacturing, fire-fighting foams, or municipal waste stream — they are a decades-long global challenge,” toxicologist Jonathan Petali of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, who co-authored the paper, stated.
“New Hampshire was among the first states to identify PFAS in drinking water. We’re a data-rich state due to years spent investigating the impacts of PFAS and trying to mitigate exposure.”
Establishing safety criteria would help protect those who are more susceptible to contaminants, according to co-author and assistant professor of environmental studies at Middlebury College Kathryn Crawford. However, she said that others with more typical consumption habits need not worry.
