A worrying new report from Greenpeace reveals PFAS contamination of Italian fish. The analyzes show alarming levels of PFOS in various fish species caught in Tuscany, Calabria and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, levels which in some cases even exceed the tolerance thresholds established by the European health authorities
So far, the focus on contamination from PFAS it focused on drinking water, agricultural products and commonly used objects (think for example of non-stick pans), considered the main vehicles of exposure for the population. But a new Greenpeace report now points the finger at another source of exposure to PFAS: the fish that we bring to the table.
For those who haven’t heard of it yet, let’s make a brief introduction to PFAS. These are poly- and perfluoroalkyl compounds, highly persistent and bioaccumulative synthetic chemical substances, used largely by industry for their water- and oil-repellent capacity. Useful for commercial purposes there is no doubt, the problem however is that i PFAS tend to accumulate in the environment and, for some time, they have also started to contaminate the food chain.
The data that now emerge from the new Greenpeace report entitled “PFAS-flavored fish. When danger comes from the sea” are worrying. Reference is made in particular to fish caught in the Mediterranean Sea, more specifically in the Tuscan waters of the Cetacean Sanctuary, found to be contaminated by these pollutants.
The samples were carried out mainly at the mouths of watercourses and most of the fish analyzed are part of species of little commercial interest, including mullet (such as Liza aurata, Liza ramada and Chelon labrosus), perch (Serranus cabrilla) , sciarrano (Serranus scriba), damsel (Coris julis) and salpa (Sarpa salpa).
The document is based on analysis by ARPAT (Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Tuscany) which, between October 2018 and November 2023, monitored the presence of PFAS in Tuscan fish, collected in coastal areas and river mouths.
From here comes the confirmation of widespread contamination of marine species, with significant findings of PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) in mullets, which mainly inhabit the mouths of rivers, where the accumulation of pollutants is greater.
In more than half of the specimens analyzed (around 60%), PFOS was found. A mullet taken from the mouth of the Bruna river, in Castiglione della Pescaia, in the province of Grosseto, showed an alarming concentration of 14.7 micrograms of PFAS per kilogram, a truly record level of contamination.
The data also shows a persistent problem at the mouths of other rivers, such as the Arno, where PFOS levels have reached peaks of up to 5.99 µg/kg, a contamination that far exceeds the tolerable weekly threshold for human consumption , established by EFSA at 4.4 nanograms per kilogram of body weight, considering the sum of four molecules: PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS.
Extending our gaze to the entire Mediterranean, PFAS contamination is particularly worrying among cetaceans, with PFOS concentrations of up to 400 µg/kg in the livers of Adriatic dolphins and up to 80 µg/kg in the muscles of some Tyrrhenian cetaceans northern. These marine mammals, predators at the top of the food chain, represent key indicators of environmental quality.
Swordfish and tuna, which are also contaminated, have concentrations of PFOS in their blood that vary between 4 and 52 µg/l.
But what is the situation like in other Italian regions?
PFAS contamination in Italian seas obviously extends well beyond Tuscany, but studies are scarce and therefore there is not enough data on the matter.
The Greenpeace report also includes: analyzes carried out by the ARPA of Calabria and Friuli-Venezia Giuliato which the NGO requested access to the available data. However, these investigations are not comparable to those conducted by ARPA Toscana, which are much broader and more detailed.
Despite this, some critical issues still emerge. The PFOS levels recorded by ARPA Calabria between 2021 and 2023 in the observation points of Sibari, Roccella Jonica, Crotone, Lamezia Terme and Nicotera confirm the presence of PFOS in species of commercial interest, such as mullet of mud (Mullus barbatus) and the hake (Merluccius merluccius), in addition to crustaceans such as mantis shrimp (Ring mantis).
Research by Greenpeace and ARPAT demonstrates how widespread PFAS are now in our environment and food resources and how they are progressively accumulating along the food chain until they reach our plates.
In short, we are once again faced with an investigation highlighting the need for urgent action to ban the use and production of PFAS, with relative adaptation of the regulations based on the most recent scientific evidence.
Actually, . We had already told you about a study, conducted by Dartmouth College in New England (USA), which highlighted how fish and shellfish, in particular shrimp and lobsters, represented an underestimated source of exposure to these substances. The results showed particularly high levels of PFAS especially in some species. Why are some species more contaminated with Pfas? This still remains to be clarified.
Greenpeace requests
Following the findings of the investigation, Greenpeace commented:
The data on fish, although limited to a few regions and to just one molecule of the Pfas group (therefore not representative of the real contamination), demonstrate widespread contamination in some commercial species in Tuscany and Calabria. Fish therefore seems to be one of the ways in which these substances are absorbed into our body, with possible very serious consequences for health. Pfas, in fact, cause damage to the liver and the immune system, thyroid problems and cause the onset of some forms of cancer such as kidney and testicular cancer. Faced with such a serious situation that requires further investigation and monitoring, the government must take immediate action. It is necessary carry out a national survey of all commercial species that end up on our tables and, at the same time, follow the examples of the United States, France and Denmark, which have already introduced more rigorous measures to protect the community. It therefore remains essential to pass a law that prohibits the production and use of PFAS, because the health of the planet and its citizens cannot be sacrificed to the economic interests of a few who still today, with impunity, have a license to pollute.
You can read the full report HERE.
Want to know more about PFAS?
If you want to learn more about PFAS, we recommend listening to the second season of the podcast “Hey Erica, let’s talk about PFAS?”, an initiative by Erica Srl dedicated to clarifying these “eternal” pollutants. In eight new episodes, the podcast explores the origins, health effects and challenges that PFAS pose to society, through interviews with experts and citizens.
In the final episode, our director Simona Falasca interviews Edoardo Slavik to discuss solutions and future prospects in the fight against this growing threat.
You can listen to “Hey Erica” on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify.
