Eating one freshwater fish is equivalent to a month of drinking water with "forever chemicals," a new study says.
Forever Chemicals in Freshwater Fishes
Consuming freshwater fish seems a good option for a healthy diet. However, a new study suggests otherwise, especially if it becomes a staple in your daily menu.
Environmental Working Group (EWG) conducted a study and found out that a single serving of freshwater fish per year could be equal to drinking water laced with "forever chemicals" or PFAS (Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) for a month. High levels of Perfluorooctyl Sulfonate (PFOS) are also unhealthy, EurekAlert! reported.
PFAs are a large, complex group of manufactured chemicals used in everyday products. They are used in packaging or cookware to prevent food from sticking on them and even in making clothes and carpets resistant to stains. They are also used in aerospace, automotive, construction, and electronics, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Science. Basically, they are almost everywhere.
For the study, the researchers calculated that consuming a single fish in a year is like ingesting water with PFOS at 48 parts per trillion (ppt) for a month. The findings are a major concern among communities with environmental justice concerns and whose survival depends on eating freshwater fish they've caught.
David Andrews, Ph.D., EWG senior scientist and one of the study's lead authors, said people who regularly eat freshwater fish are at risk of alarming levels of PFAS in their bodies. According to him, he used to go fishing every weekend, and they consumed the fish they caught. However, when he sees fish today, he thinks about PFAS contamination.
Averaging almost three out of every four PFAS detections, PFOS, a former component of 3M's Scotchgard, was the chemical that was always present in the highest proportions in freshwater fish.
The senior vice president for government affairs at EWG, Scott Faber, said that the test results were "breathtaking" as they suggested that a single bass is equivalent to drinking PFOS-tainted water for a month.
Why Forever Chemicals' Are Not Healthy
When one consumes a freshwater fish that is PFOS-contaminated, it can significantly increase people's blood serum levels of the forever chemical and may create potential health risks. Even infrequent consumption of freshwater fish can raise one's PFOS levels in the body.
PFAS is one of the most persistent substances in existence. They could contaminate drinking water, food, packaging, personal care products, and almost everything. PFAS never degrades in the environment and builds up in our bodies. Almost everyone's blood contains these, even infants.
Deficient concentrations of PFAS in drinking water have been associated with immune system suppression, poor vaccine effectiveness, and an elevated risk of several malignancies. PFAS are associated with higher cholesterol, issues during reproduction and development, and other health risks.
Over 200 million Americans may be consuming water that contains PFAS. The need for prompt regulatory action is further highlighted by the likelihood that the issue is worse than has already been confirmed.
Calls For Restrictions to Release PFAS
Faber called the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish restrictions for the sectors most likely to release PFAS into the environment. He added that downstream communities had suffered the effects of PFAS wastes that are not under regulation for too long already.
Nadia Barbo, a graduate student at Duke University and lead researcher on this project, said the extent of PFAS contaminating fish was deeply shocking. She suggested a single health protective fish consumption advisory for freshwater fish across the country.
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