North Atlantic long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) now have 60% lower concentrations of some legacy PFAS than they did a decade ago, offering rare good news about the effectiveness of chemical regulations, Harvard University researchers report in a new study. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analyzed tissue samples from pilot whales collected in the Faroe Islands between 1986 and 2023. Researchers measured bulk organofluorine, a proxy for total PFAS contamination, as well as individual compounds in liver and muscle tissues. North Atlantic long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) now have 60% lower concentrations of some legacy PFAS than they did a decade ago. Photo by Charlie Jackson via Flikr (CC BY 2.0.) PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are synthetic chemicals used since the 1950s in products ranging from non-stick cookware and waterproof clothing to food packaging and firefighting foam. Legacy PFAS are older compounds that were used for decades but are generally no longer produced for industrial use. Their extreme stability has earned them the nickname “forever chemicals,” as they persist in the environment and accumulate in the tissues of living organisms. PFAS exposure has been linked to numerous health problems in humans and wildlife, including liver damage, immune system suppression, developmental problems, thyroid disease, and certain cancers. The chemicals bioaccumulate in the food chain, meaning concentrations increase at each level, with top predators like whales and humans facing the highest exposures. The new research revealed that organofluorine concentrations in pilot whale livers peaked…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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