Are forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, silently poisoning our oceans? These persistent pollutants accumulate in marine ecosystems.
Introduction to Forever Chemicals
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also referred to as forever chemicals, are a group of man-made chemicals with properties of being persistent in any environment or even the human body. Hence they are referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ given that they are very stable and cannot easily degrade.
Such chemicals have found their way in a variety of products, including non-stick pans and clothing that cannot be stained, to fire extinguishing foam. However, they have raised some concerns in the way they affect the environment, most specifically marine life.
PFAS in Marine Environments
PFAS have been found in different pools of water, such as oceans and seas, as well as coastal areas. These chemicals enter the ocean through several pathways: factory emissions, leaching from polluted land, and even aerial washing.
One, these chemicals will persist in the marine environment and can be recovered from sediments and biota. This makes them rather resistant and does not break down fast, thus causing long-term pollution of ocean and marine life.
There is concern too regarding the accumulation of PFAS within marine organisms. These chemicals can thus bioaccumulate in the fatty tissues of fishes and other wildlife, such as birds. These chemicals do accumulate in the food chain and the degree of concentration of PFAS is found to rise as one goes up the food chain by consuming smaller organisms.
This entails that some fish species, marine mammals, and seabirds—the apex predatory species—are likely to get in contact with higher levels of PFAS, and this comes with implications for their health and reproductive abilities.
Impact on Marine Life
In different ways, PFAS have affected marine life in several ways, as will be described in this paper. These chemicals have also been said to have an impact on the developmental and physiological well-being of marine organisms.
For instance, exposure to PFAS causes disruptions in endocrine systems that affect reproduction and growth. PFAS is toxic to fish and, when ingested, causes damage to the liver and immune system and alters body physiology, hence affecting fitness and survival.
Wild animals are also at risk, particularly marine mammals. Some fish that are at a higher trophic level, like dolphins and seals, have relatively high levels of PFAS in their system.
These problems included immune suppression, reproductive failure or high incidences of diseases among the affected wildlife. The effects of these changes on these populations are not yet fully understood; however, the implications of these effects are rather alarming.
Measures already taken in regard to PFAS contamination
Elimination of PFAS in marine systems can only be tackled through a convectional approach that involves multisectoral action.
Supervisory programs are crucial in order to examine the existence of PFAS in oceans and marine organisms to their concentrations. Scientists are also trying to identify better ways to sample these compounds and better comprehend their propensity and impacts.
Policy measures are also important in tackling the issue Since policy measures tackle the causes of the problems and not the symptoms, they stand as important solutions. National and global governments and regulatory bodies have started coming up with laws that seek to control the use of PFAS as well as their discharge into the environment.
For example, The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed certain measures to decrease PFAS in drinking water and soil, which further helps in controlling its effect on the marine environment.
Furthermore, the call for innovative material is being propelled to address the issue which PFAS has created in the environment. Future innovations in the kind of materials and other products that do not require these persistent chemicals may also go a long way in preventing further pollutions of marine habitats.
It has to be noted, however, that forever chemicals are most certainly a threat to marine life. They accumulate and persist in the ecosystem and thus seriously pollute the marine environment and organisms, from the lowest species to the top of the food chain.
The study also establishes there are severe detrimental effects on marine health and other connected ecological implications that warrant ongoing investigation, sound legislation, and improvement measures to control and eradicate PFAS contamination. This way we can address some of the challenges facing the marine environment today with the ultimate goal of seeking to make it better for future generations.
ASH CK