Something is fishy.
Eating just one serving of freshwater fish, such as trout or carp, could expose people to potentially toxic chemical compounds, according to a new study.
The findings, which were published by Environmental Research, revealed that eating even a single serving of freshwater fish a year could equal a month of drinking water with high levels of perfluoroalkyl substances, also known as such as PFAS, which can be harmful to the person. Health.
Very low doses of PFAS in drinking water have been linked to immune system suppression, including reduced vaccine effectiveness and an increased risk of certain cancers. They are also linked to increased cholesterol and reproductive problems, among others.
“People who consume freshwater fish, especially those who catch and eat fish regularly, are at risk of having alarming levels of PFAS in their bodies,” said Dr. David Andrews, who led the study, according to Southwest News Services.
Eating just one serving of freshwater fish, such as trout or carp, could expose people to potentially toxic chemical compounds, according to a new study.Stephen Beech / SWNS
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of more than 9,000 different chemicals, some of which are already banned or highly restricted.AP
These PFASs are made up of a group of more than 9,000 different chemicals, some of which are already banned or highly restricted, that can be found in cookware and non-stick food packaging. Chemicals do not break down in the environment, so they accumulate in our bodies.
“PFASs don’t go away when products are thrown away or thrown away,” said study co-author Dr. Tasha Stoiber. “Our research shows that more common disposal methods can end up leading to more environmental pollution.”
To conduct the study, scientists analyzed data from more than 500 fish fillet samples collected in the United States over a two-year period from 2013 to 2015. They also found that PFA levels were higher in fish from the Great Lakes, as well as fish caught in urban areas.
Researchers discovered high levels of so-called “forever chemicals” in fish caught in lakes and rivers. The chemical consistently found in the highest concentrations in freshwater fish was PFOS, or sulfonic acid, averaging about three out of four of the total PFAS detections.
Very low doses of PFAS in drinking water have been linked to immune system suppression, including reduced vaccine effectiveness and an increased risk of certain cancers. They are also linked to increased cholesterol, reproductive and developmental problems, and other health damage.Stephen Beech / SWNS
The research found that the average amounts of PFAS in freshwater fish in the US were a staggering 280 times greater than the chemicals ever detected in some fish caught and sold commercially.
They estimate there may be more than 40,000 industrial PFAS contaminants in the United States, including manufacturing facilities, municipal landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and airports. Water contamination has spread PFAS into soil, crops and wildlife, including fish.
“The degree to which PFAS has contaminated fish is surprising,” said Nadia Barbo, the project’s principal investigator. “There should be a single health protection fish consumption advisory for freshwater fish across the country.”