Forever chemicals threaten Arctic wildlife and human health
Invisible industrial pollutants called PFAS are chemicals steadily building up in polar bears, seals, seabirds, and in humans who depend on Arctic wildlife for food.
A new investigation reports concentrations high enough to endanger hormone balance, immunity, and long‑term survival across the Far North.
Tracking chemical spread in the Arctic
The work follows per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as they ride winds and currents from distant factories to the polar ice.
Researchers from the United States, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Denmark, Canada, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates combined field data with computer models to trace the chemicals’ spread.
“The research highlights how PFAS can affect reproduction, immune systems, and even increase cancer risk in both humans and animals,” said co‑author Khaled Abass, an associate professor at the University of Sharjah.
“Alarmingly, people living in the Arctic who rely on traditional foods such as marine mammals are also exposed to these chemicals,” Abass said.
Hunters who prize seal, whale, or walrus now face a dilemma between cultural practice and safety. Because PFAS accumulate in fatty tissue as they climb the food web, a single meal can deliver a substantial dose.
How Arctic chemicals affect humans
“The long‑range transport of PFAS reminds us that environmental problems don’t respect borders – what we release in one part of the world eventually ends up in another,” said co‑author Elsie M. Sunderland, a professor of environmental chemistry at Harvard University.
Once dissolved in seawater or attached to airborne dust, the molecules drift northward year after year, freezing into sea ice or settling in snow.
“Physiological, endocrine, and reproductive effects linked to PFAS exposure were largely similar among humans, polar bears, and Arctic seabirds,” wrote the study authors.
“For most polar bear subpopulations across the Arctic, modeled serum concentrations exceeded PFOS levels in human populations, several of which already exceeded the established immunotoxic thresholds for the most severe risk category.”
Shared health risks across species
“The similarities in health effects across species – humans, animals, and birds – are deeply concerning and underscore the interconnectedness of environmental and human health,” said lead author Rainer Lohmann of the University of Rhode Island.
“The Arctic acts like a mirror – what we find here reflects the global scale and persistence of PFAS pollution. It’s a warning signal we cannot ignore,” noted study senior author Pál Weihe of the University of the Faroe Islands.
Vulnerable humans and animals
Even the remote pack ice cannot block the spread. “Even in the most remote corners of our planet, industrial pollution finds its way into the bodies of animals and people. PFAS are persistent, mobile, and harmful – we need a global solution,” Abass said.
Field surveys back his concern. “The Arctic is uniquely vulnerable, and both legacy (old) and emerging PFAS continue to be detected at concerning levels,” he noted.
“For most polar bear subpopulations across the Arctic, modeled serum concentrations exceeded PFOS levels in human populations, several of which already exceeded the established immunotoxic thresholds for the most severe risk category.”
New variants keep appearing
Rules have removed some early PFAS from commerce, yet factories keep releasing substitutes. “Increasing trends of certain long‑chain PFCAs (C9–C20), including PFNA, are observed in the Arctic, highlighting the persistence and ongoing threat of these contaminants,” the authors explained.
“Communities that rely on traditional diets face significantly higher PFAS concentrations than those relying more on market foods. In fact, similar results can even be found in industrialized countries, showing that Arctic Indigenous communities involuntarily serve as sentinels of contamination concerns.
“PFAS contamination poses challenges to food security and sovereignty as well as to multiple species’ health across the Arctic.”
Action needed to protect the Arctic
The project grew from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program and has already reached ministries in Denmark, Canada, and elsewhere.
“While specific industry engagement is not highlighted, the work directly informs global policy discussions and regulations affecting chemical manufacturers and environmental health bodies,” Abass said.
The team urges tougher international standards, faster phase‑outs, and investment in safer substitutes. Only global cooperation, they argue, can prevent “forever chemicals” from undermining Arctic ecosystems – and the communities that depend on them – for generations to come.
The study is published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.
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