Affiliation:
1. Wildlife Conservation Society Fairbanks Alaska USA
2. College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska USA
3. U.S. National Park Service Anchorage Alaska USA
4. Environmental Program Native Village of Kotzebue Kotzebue Alaska USA
Abstract
AbstractPer‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and mercury (Hg) are harmful compounds that are widely present in the environment, partly due to spills and atmospheric pollution. The presence of PFAS and Hg in the tissues of animals that are harvested by rural and Indigenous Alaskans is of great concern, yet fish in Arctic Alaska have not previously been assessed for concentrations of PFAS. Fish species of subsistence and recreational importance were collected from nearshore Beaufort and Chukchi Sea, Alaska habitats and assessed for PFAS and total mercury concentrations [THg]. We found multiple PFAS compounds present at low levels (<3 μg/kg) in the muscle tissue of inconnu, broad whitefish, Dolly Varden char, Arctic flounder, saffron cod, humpback whitefish, and least cisco. In addition, [THg] levels in these fish were well below levels triggering local fish consumption guidelines (<170 μg/kg). These initial results indicate no evidence of the Alaska Arctic nearshore fish species examined as an avenue of PFAS or Hg exposure to people who harvest them. However, sources and trends of these contaminants in the Arctic require further investigation. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;00:1–7. © 2023 SETAC
Funder
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
National Park Service
Subject
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis,Environmental Chemistry
Reference44 articles.
1. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. (2019). Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Alaska's fish fish samples collected: 2009–2010. Office of the State Veterinarian Fish Monitoring Program.https://dec.alaska.gov/media/14391/pfas_results-2009-2010.pdf
2. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. (2022). Total mercury in fish and shellfsh caught in alaskan waters: Fish samples collected: 2001–2021.https://dec.alaska.gov/media/22378/mercury-in-alaska-fish.pdf
3. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (2019). Sport fishing closure of Kimberly and Polaris Lakes in the North Pole and Eielson Areas. Emergency Order No. 3‐R‐U‐01‐19. April 3 2019.https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/Static-sf/EONR/PDFs/2019/R3/EO%203-R-U-01-19%20Stocked%20Waters%20Closure_FINAL.pdf
4. Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and perfluoroalkyl substances in a remote population of Alaska Natives
5. PFAS and PBDEs in traditional subsistence foods from Sivuqaq, Alaska