We had already found them in drinking water, food and even human blood. Now, new research shows that i PFASharmful and persistent poly and perfluoroalkyl substances, have come to contaminate even one of the most remote and uncontaminated areas of the Planet: the Arctic. And they are the ones who transport them up there, kittiwakesmigratory seabirds who, unaware of the danger, transform themselves into polluted sentinels.
But how is this possible? A study published in the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology reveals the mystery. Kittiwakes, after spending the winter in areas at lower latitudes, where PFAS are unfortunately abundant due to industrial activity and wastewater dischargeembark on their long migration to breeding sites in the Arctic. And with them, they carry high concentrations of these pollutants in their blood and feathers.
The research, conducted by an international team of scientists led by Don-Jean Léandri-Breton from the McGill Universityanalyzed GPS tracking data and blood samples from 64 kittiwakes nesting at Svalbarda Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. The results are alarming: seagulls that wintered further south, in areas with a greater presence of pollutants, had significantly higher levels of PFAS, with concentrations up to ten times higher than those that wintered further north.
“These birds act as real biovectors,” explains Léandri-Breton. “They transport PFAS from wintering areas, where contamination is greatestup to the Arctic, a fragile and vulnerable ecosystem”. This phenomenon, called “pollutant migration,” is not new to science, but the study on kittiwakes provides new evidence on the extent of the problem and the role of seabirds in the global spread of PFAS.
But what are the consequences of this phenomenon? PFAS, once released into the Arctic environment through seagull excrement and eggs, can contaminate the food chainputting at risk the health of arctic foxes, gyrfalcons, polar bears and all species that feed on these birds or their eggs. “PFAS accumulate in living organisms, and their concentration increases as they do moves up the food chain“, specifies Léandri-Breton. “This means that apex predators, such as polar bears, are particularly at risk.”
But that’s not all. PFAS are known for their negative effects on human and animal health. They can interfere with the endocrine systemaltering the production of hormones, and can compromise the immune system, making organisms more vulnerable to disease. Furthermore, some studies have shown a link between exposure to PFAS and the onset of cancer.
This discovery sends us an alarm signal. It is critical that we take urgent measures to reduce the use and release of PFAS into the environment. “We need to limit the use of these chemicals in consumer and industrial products,” says Léandri-Breton. “And we need to invest in innovative technologies for removing PFAS from wastewater and contaminated sites.”
