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Impact of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) on the marine environment: Raising awareness, challenges, legislation, and mitigation approaches under the One Health concept
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This review examines how PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances), often called 'forever chemicals,' are contaminating marine environments and interacting with other pollutants including microplastics. PFAS accumulate in marine food chains and can combine with microplastics to amplify toxic effects on ocean wildlife and ultimately human health through seafood consumption. The authors call for stronger regulations and cleanup strategies under a One Health approach that connects ocean, animal, and human well-being.
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have long been known for their detrimental effects on the ecosystems and living organisms; however the long-term impact on the marine environment is still insufficiently recognized. Based on PFAS persistence and bioaccumulation in the complex marine food network, adverse effects will be exacerbated by global processes such as climate change and synergies with other pollutants, like microplastics. The range of fluorochemicals currently included in the PFAS umbrella has significantly expanded due to the updated OECD definition, raising new concerns about their poorly understood dynamics and negative effects on the ocean wildlife and human health. Mitigation challenges and approaches, including biodegradation and currently studied materials for PFAS environmental removal are proposed here, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and bridging research gaps. The PFAS EU regulations, good practices and legal frameworks are discussed, with emphasis on recommendations for improving marine ecosystem management.
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This review reveals the overlooked connection between microplastics and PFAS (forever chemicals), showing that these two widespread pollutants often come from the same products and interact in the environment. Microplastics can absorb PFAS onto their surfaces and transport them through water systems, potentially increasing exposure for aquatic organisms and humans. Understanding this overlap is important because the combined effects may be more harmful than either pollutant alone.
Microplastics as carriers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic environment: interactions and ecotoxicological effects
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Researchers reviewed how microplastics serve as carriers for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes called forever chemicals, in aquatic environments. The study found that PFAS can attach to microplastic surfaces and accumulate in organisms through the food chain, potentially amplifying the toxic effects of both pollutants. The findings suggest that the combined presence of microplastics and PFAS poses a greater environmental and health risk than either pollutant alone.
Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Do They Matter to Aquatic Ecosystems?
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This review examines PFAS, the persistent 'forever chemicals' widely used in consumer products, and their growing threat to aquatic ecosystems. Evidence indicates that PFAS accumulate in aquatic organisms, disrupt hormones, and can alter how other pollutants behave in the environment. The research is relevant to microplastic concerns because PFAS are commonly found in plastic products and can leach from microplastics into water.
Unraveling the complexities of microplastics and PFAS synergy to foster sustainable environmental remediation and ecosystem protection: A critical review with novel insights
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This review examines how microplastics and PFAS (sometimes called 'forever chemicals') interact in the environment, since both often come from the same everyday products. The authors found that microplastics can carry PFAS on their surface, and when organisms are exposed to both together, the combined toxic effects including oxidative stress and reproductive harm can be worse than either pollutant alone.
Interaction of microplastics with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water: A review of the fate, mechanisms and toxicity
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This review examines how microplastics act as carriers for PFAS ("forever chemicals") in water, with the two pollutants interacting through various chemical mechanisms that affect their movement through the environment. The combined presence of microplastics and PFAS raises concerns about increased toxicity, since microplastics can transport these persistent chemicals into organisms and potentially concentrate their harmful effects.
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