Scientists have documented the widespread exposure of more than 600 animal species to toxic “forever chemicals,” in a new interactive map released on Tuesday. As contaminated wildlife crop up in every corner of the planet, humans may be playing a sentinel role in transmitting the adverse effects of these compounds — known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — to other organisms, the researchers argued. “PFAS pollution is not just a problem for humans,” David Andrews, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, said in a statement. “It’s a problem for species across the globe. Andrews is the first author of a new peer-reviewed paper, published in Science of the Total Environment and released alongside the interactive map.
The map provides a significant update from a previous version released by the Environmental Working Group in February — and includes nearly double the number of polluted species.
To put together the current map, the researchers combed through more than 200 studies that detected more than 120 unique PFAS compounds in more than 600 species, on every continent. There are thousands of types of PFAS, synthetic compounds notorious for their ability to persist in the body and in the environment.
These so-called forever chemicals are linked to a variety of cancers and illnesses and are found in numerous household products, such as nonstick pans, cosmetics and waterproof apparel.
