Communications Earth & Environment<\/a>. <\/p>\nThese findings, the study authors stated, underscore the importance of considering persistence when weighing environmental risk, while shedding light \u201con the impact of the larger pool of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances,\u201d also known as PFAS.<\/p>\n
There are about 15,000 types of these so-called \u201cforever chemicals,\u201d many of which are linked to cancers and other serious illnesses. Known for their ability to linger in the environment, PFAS are found in certain firefighting foams and in a variety of household products, such as waterproof apparel, nonstick pans and cosmetics.<\/p>\n
Although previous studies have suggested only a limited presence of PFAS in the Southern Ocean, the authors \u2014 from Spain\u2019s Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research and the University of Barcelona \u2014 were able to challenge this assumption.<\/p>\n
The prevailing notion, they explained, reasoned that the \u201ccircumpolar current\u201d that flows clockwise around the Antarctic prevented the transport of PFAS southwards.<\/p>\n
Yet at the same time, the researchers recognized that oceans have become \u201ca major reservoir\u201d of a PFAS subgroup called perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) \u2014 and that certain precursors of PFAAs had been identified in the Southern Ocean\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\u201cPFAAs are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical oceans and are extremely persistent in the environment,\u201d the authors stated. <\/p>\n
Among the two most notorious types of PFAAs around the world are PFOA and PFOS \u2014 carcinogens that have largely been phased out of production but that remain in soil and water resources due to their longevity.<\/p>\n
To determine whether these persistent \u2014 and often toxic \u2014 types of PFAS had in fact infiltrated the Southern Ocean, the scientists conducted on-site water sampling in the area, accompanied by analytical procedures.<\/p>\n
In doing so, they identified PFAA concentrations in seawater at Antarctic latitudes of 71 degrees south comparable with those of 37 degrees north \u2014 in regions with known PFAS sources across Europe, the Mediterranean, Central Asia and the United States.<\/p>\n
Given the circumpolar current\u2019s likely role as \u201ca barrier for the north-south transport of PFAAs by oceanic currents,\u201d the researchers focused on a possible mechanism called \u201cwet deposition,\u201d when aerosolized pollutants fall from the atmosphere with rain or snow.<\/p>\n
The scientists ultimately determined that PFAA compounds are transported via ocean currents from the southern subtropical Atlantic to the sub-Antarctic \u2014 the zone immediately north of the Antarctic region.<\/p>\n
From there, what likely occurs is a phenomenon known as \u201csea-spray mediated grasshopping,\u201d in which PFAA-laden sea spray forms in the atmosphere and then deposits in the Southern Ocean, per the study.<\/p>\n
The Southern Ocean, the authors explained, is known for its high wind speeds, and the region in general endures \u201cincursions\u201d of wet air masses from the north.<\/p>\n
Once the compounds have made it into the Antarctic region and have crossed a maritime barrier called \u201cthe Antarctic divergence,\u201d they are generally there to stay, the study found.<\/p>\n
This polar PFAS pileup, the authors warned, raises concerns about potential risks posed to the Antarctic ecosystem. They therefore stressed a need for further research into the prevalence of such \u201cpersistent contaminants of emerging concern\u201d across the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis unexpected accumulation evidences the global risk posed by persistent chemicals,\u201d the authors added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The frigid waters that surround Antarctica may be inhospitable to human inhabitance, but they are churning with the manmade relics of toxic chemical production, a new study has found. Certain<\/p>\n
Continue reading <\/use> <\/svg>Toxic 'forever chemicals' have infiltrated Antarctic waters: Study<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1158,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1156"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1156"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1156\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1157,"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1156\/revisions\/1157"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/logicalware.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}