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Global seafood trade is expanding “Forever exposed to chemicals” far beyond where pollution occurs artificial fish A new study finds that from polluted water to consumers around the world.
Level of study observed Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) More than 200 marine fish species, which are part of almost all global commercial fish production and international trade, were found to have transferred exposure to these chemicals. highly polluted area In countries where pollution levels in local fish were low.
Europe, in particular, emerged as a major hub in these exposure flows, despite not having the most contaminated fish stocks.
PFAS are a large group of synthetic chemicals Used in products ranging from non-stick cookware to fire-fighting foam. They are known for their extreme persistence in the environment and human body, earning them the label of “forever chemicals”.
“Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 4,700 synthetic chemical compounds,” said Dr. Julian Campão, a researcher at the Food Security and Environment Research Group of the Desertification Research Center in Valencia.
“…PFAS are highly toxic and pose a clear potential threat to human health, as they can act as endocrine disruptors, in addition to being linked to liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity and reproductive problems and cancer.”
The researchers combined global fisheries data, marine food-web models and PFAS measurements from more than 3,000 seawater sampling sites to predict concentrations in 212 edible marine fish species. They then validated those predictions using real-world measurements from 150 fish samples collected from 14 countries.
The highest PFAS concentrations relative to the global average were observed in fish from parts of Asia and Oceania, including Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the east coast of Australia, while fish from Africa and North America had the lowest. Species higher up the food chain consistently contain more PFAS. Much higher levels were found in freshwater fish than in commercial marine fish.
Despite this, the analysis showed that consumption patterns and trade matter as much as the number of fish caught. European countries import large quantities of fish from across the region, reshaping exposure pathways and increasing PFAS intake in places with relatively low local contamination.
“The authors conclude that such exposures are generally low and, overall, have decreased with the gradual phase-out of PFAS production, but they also caution that the international seafood market is responsible for redistributing these exposure risks around the world,” Dr. Campeau said.
From a public-health perspective, findings suggest wealthier areas face higher dietary risks Due to excessive consumption of fish and intensity of business.
“This study is of high scientific quality and is noted for its ambition and methodological rigor,” said Dr. Pablo Gago, senior scientist at Spain’s Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research. “It integrates global data on PFAS contamination in the marine environment, bioaccumulation models in food webs, fish consumption and international trade, covering more than 99 percent of global marine fish production.”
He said the work shows that “human exposure to PFAS depends not only on local environmental pollution, but also on the dynamics of global food trade”.
However, there was evidence that regulation works. The study found that global exposure risks from two widely used PFAS compounds – PFOS and PFOA – have declined sharply since they were banned under the Stockholm Convention in 2009 and 2019.
“The results are consistent with previous evidence identifying fish as a relevant source of dietary PFAS exposure, but they add a key element: international redistribution of risk,” Dr Gago said. “They show that the restrictions imposed on PFOS have been effective, but also that unregulated long-chain PFAS represent a high risk, especially through the food trade.”
The authors caution that the study focused on marine fish and did not include other dietary or environmental sources of PFAS, meaning the total human exposure is likely underestimated. Nevertheless, they argue that the findings underline the need for stronger coordination on food safety standards and chemical regulation across the global food system.