Those who like to indulge in sushi buffets or treat themselves to a lobster dinner should be careful: They could be at increased risk of exposure to toxic “forever chemicals.”
While the chemicals are most commonly linked to household items and tap water, a new study warns that seafood is also a source.
Dartmouth College researchers tested various types of seafood purchased at various sites in New Hampshire for 26 types of PFAS.
The samples showed that the shrimp and lobster contained dangerously high levels of PFAS.
Megan Romano, co-author of the Dartmouth study, said: “Our recommendation is not to not eat seafood: Shellfish are a great source of lean protein and omega fatty acids.”
“But it is also a potentially underestimated source of PFAS exposure in humans. Understanding this risk-benefit relationship of seafood consumption is important for people making dietary decisions, especially for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children.
Dartmouth researchers tested seafood purchased at several sites in New Hampshire for 26 types of PFAS.
Environmental Working Group (EWG) data from 2020 ranked Brunswick County, North Carolina, as the top U.S. region for PFAS in drinking water.
PFAS are microscopic substances that take thousands of years to break down in the environment and the human body, earning them the name “forever chemicals.”
They are found in textiles, firefighting foam, nonstick cookware, clothing, and food packaging and leach into the water supply, soil, and air.
Because PFAS are almost everywhere in the environment, researchers said it was difficult to know where in the marine food chain the chemicals enter fish.
There is no safe level of exposure to these chemicals, and a growing body of research links them to hundreds of cancers, infertility problems, fetal abnormalities, and a host of other health conditions, including autism.
For the study, researchers analyzed samples of cod, haddock, lobster, salmon, scallops, shrimp and tuna.
They then asked more than 1,800 New Hampshire residents what type of fish they ate and how often.
The survey found that people living in the state consume seafood at a rate higher than the national average, meaning they could be exposing themselves to PFAS and the health complications associated with the chemicals.
While the researchers did not test PFAS levels in respondents, a separate 2023 study found that Asian Americans, who often have diets rich in seafood, had 89 percent higher blood levels of PFAS in comparison with other ethnicities.
That study said a diet rich in seafood could be to blame, as fish is a major source of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination.
The Dartmouth researchers chose to focus on New Hampshire because the state, along with most of the New England region, eats more seafood than the average American, given its location and local fishing industry.
Ninety-five percent of adults surveyed reported eating seafood in the past 12 months. Of them, 94 percent consumed fish in the previous 30 days and about 66 percent consumed the food in the previous week.
Shrimp was the most consumed type of seafood among New Hampshire residents, followed by haddock, salmon, canned tuna, and lobster.
Tests on shellfish revealed that shrimp and lobster had the highest concentrations of PFAS, with averages of up to 1.74 and 3.30 nanograms per gram of meat, respectively.
Levels in other fish generally measured less than one nanogram per gram.
The researchers speculated that shellfish might be at higher risk for PFAS contamination because they feed and live on the seafloor and are closer to nearshore sources of PFAS.
Larger marine life can ingest PFAS by eating smaller species contaminated with the substances, such as shellfish.
And while the United States has federal guidelines for safe seafood consumption regarding mercury levels, there are none for PFAS.
Co-author Jonathan Petali said, “PFAS are not limited to manufacturing, firefighting foams, or municipal waste streams – they are a decades-long global challenge.”
‘New Hampshire was one of the first states to identify PFAS in drinking water. We are a data-rich state due to years spent researching the impacts of PFAS and trying to mitigate exposure.’
Despite the concerning findings, first author Kathryn Crawford said people who eat a more typical, balanced diet should be able to enjoy the health benefits that come from moderate amounts of seafood without increased risk of exposure to PFAS.
The researchers also said their findings emphasize the need for stricter public health guidelines that establish an amount of fish and shellfish that is safe to consume in order to limit exposure to PFAS.
He study was published in the journal Exposure and Health.