Dangerous levels of long-lasting “forever chemicals” have been detected in surface and groundwater across the globe, according to a new study released Tuesday, identifying hotspots in Australia, the United States, and parts of Europe.
Published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the study analyzed data from 45,000 water samples worldwide and revealed that a “significant portion” contained PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — at concentrations exceeding recommended safety limits.
These chemicals, commonly found in items such as non-stick cookware, food wrappers, and waterproof fabrics, have been associated with severe health risks including cancer and developmental defects.
While PFAS have previously been discovered in places ranging from turtle eggs to Antarctic snow, the new findings highlight their widespread presence in surface and groundwater sources relied on for human consumption.
“Many of our source waters exceed PFAS regulatory thresholds,” said Denis O’Carroll, a co-author of the study and professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
Although the widespread nature of these substances was already known, O’Carroll said the actual concentrations found in many samples were alarmingly high.
“In some cases, we’re seeing exceedance rates above five percent, even surpassing 50 percent in certain regions,” he noted.
The analysis showed that 69 percent of groundwater samples globally were above Canada’s minimum safety standards, while six percent exceeded limits set by the European Union.
The study identified Australia, China, the U.S., and several European regions as global PFAS hotspots. However, researchers acknowledged that these regions also conduct the most frequent testing — suggesting similar results could emerge elsewhere with more data.
PFAS contamination is believed to be global in scale, but the full scope of pollution across the planet’s surface waters and drinking supplies remains unclear. Not just limited to tap water, PFAS and other substances could also affect household water used for showers — unpleasant smells or impure water may indicate the presence of minerals or chemical residues. With that said, you can get a filter for shower head to fix this, as it’s easier to treat this than it is the chemicals in your drinking water.
In response to the mounting health and environmental concerns, countries like Canada, the U.S., members of the EU, and Australia have begun imposing restrictions on PFAS usage.
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