Chemical Companies Are Churning Out New PFAS. Where in the World Are They Ending Up? – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Off the rocky shores of the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, researchers have long monitored contaminants in North Atlantic pilot whales. Tissues archived since the 1980s reveal a clear story of declining legacy forever chemicals. Yet a recent analysis uncovers a twist: despite surging production of replacement PFAS, these novel versions show up scarcely in the whales.
Decline of the Old, Absence of the New
Harvard researcher Jennifer Sun led a study examining pilot whale tissues collected from 2001 to 2023. Her team measured bulk extractable organofluorine to gauge total fluorine-based chemicals, then pinpointed 28 specific PFAS. Concentrations of older compounds like PFOA and PFOS dropped as expected after phaseouts in the early 2000s. Novel PFAS, however, proved nearly undetectable, with just two showing traces.
This pattern defied predictions. Production of these replacements has ramped up worldwide for uses in waterproofing, manufacturing, and packaging. Sun noted the discrepancy raises fundamental questions about environmental pathways.
From Long Chains to Shorter Substitutes
Legacy PFAS, developed decades ago, featured long fluorinated carbon tails that resisted breakdown. Manufacturers shifted to novel versions with shorter chains, aiming for reduced persistence and bioaccumulation. These changes promised easier environmental degradation, though real-world evidence remains mixed.
Regulatory hurdles compound the issue. Rules often target individual chemicals, allowing firms to introduce fresh formulations unchecked until tested. Environmental advocates label this cycle “regrettable substitutions,” as new risks emerge before scrutiny catches up. Bridger Ruyle, an environmental engineer at New York University, confirmed the legacy decline as progress from past bans.
Tracing Invisible Journeys: Near or Far?
Several theories explain the novel PFAS shortfall in remote marine life. One points to proximity: shorter-chain designs may bind more to soils or stay in near-coastal zones, sparing distant oceans. Frank Wania, an environmental chemist at the University of Toronto Scarborough, suggested these chemicals might not venture as far, heightening exposure risks for nearby communities and wildlife.
Evidence from Canadian beluga whales near industrial areas supports this, showing rising novel PFAS alongside falling legacy levels. Human tissues also harbor unidentified organofluorine, hinting at direct uptake. Yet counterexamples exist. Some novel PFAS, like Chemours’ GenX, have reached Arctic waters via air, as a 2020 study by Elsie Sunderland and colleagues documented. Atmospheric transport, including precursors that degrade into PFAS, could deposit them oceanward eventually.
Timing offers another angle. Models indicate a 10- to 20-year lag for legacy PFAS to appear in subarctic whales. Many novel types fall within this window, potentially delayed by soil retention or slow transformation. Sunderland, Sun’s coauthor, posed the core riddle: “If it’s not in the whales, and it’s not in the ocean…where is it?” Mobility varies too – some novel PFAS travel more readily in water or air, per Anna Kärrman of Örebro University.
Analytical limits play a role amid millions of possible structures. Lower emission volumes per compound, unlike past legacy floods, complicate detection. Scott Mabury likened it to “chemical Whac-A-Mole,” with targets vanishing and reappearing elsewhere.
Health Stakes and Regulatory Reckoning
PFAS persist for millennia, linking to cancers, immune issues, and organ damage – data mostly from legacy types. Novel versions aim to mitigate these, but uncertainties linger. Stakeholders range from coastal residents and fishers to global manufacturers and regulators.
Practical fallout demands action. Europe’s Chemicals Agency proposes class-wide PFAS curbs, evaluating persistence over formulas. In the U.S., drinking water limits target specifics, though shifts under past policies raised concerns. Kärrman urged property-based rules to preempt future patents for untested chemistries.
Sunderland emphasized societal choice: produce less overall. Researchers expose risks, she said, but “the central issue here is a societal issue.” As production swells, the pilot whale void signals either containment success or brewing threats closer to population centers.