(VitalNews.org) – New research has shown that ocean spray, which is created when ocean water crashes onto the shore, emits more PFAS than industrial pollutants. The presence of PFAS, or “forever chemicals” has sparked concern over the amount of exposure that humans get as well as the environment.
The study showed that these chemicals are released when the bubbles burst upon crashing onto the shore. This releases aerosols into the air which could be harmful. These PFAS chemicals are called “forever chemicals” because the components of the chemicals do not break down.
According to the lead author of the study, Ian Cousins, it showed that these chemicals could be affecting other factors near the coastline, including surface and groundwater, vegetation, and agricultural products. Cousins said “There is evidence that the ocean can be an important source of PFAS air emissions. It is definitely impacting the coastline.”
These chemicals have been found in many parts of the globe and have even been found in penguin eggs and polar bears in Antarctica. They can be found in water or other areas where they are spread into the air and then can travel miles across land.
The study doesn’t have many details concerning how these chemicals might affect us or what amount of these chemicals are inhaled by humans on a daily basis.
“We thought PFAS were going to go into the ocean and would disappear, but they cycle around and come back to land, and this could continue for a long time into the future,” Cousin said.
He said that they would be continuing to look into the effects of these PFAS and he said that they have found a correlation with higher PFAS in the regions where the coast is near.
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