These chemicals, known as per and polyfluorinated substances , are among the highest levels in the world. PFAs, sometimes called forever chemicals, can take thousands of years to break down and are harmful to people and river ecosystems.
The team's research shows that the sources of the other 50% of PFOs are unknown. They could be coming from airports, agricultural land or landfills, reports the Liverpool Echo. "If we keep discharging them into the environment, PFAS exposure levels and potential risk to humans can increase through drinking water contamination and accumulation in the food chain."
He further explained: "Today, enormous volumes of toxic waste are discharged into rivers and seas because dilution reduces chemical concentrations to extremely low or undetectable levels. But undetectable does not mean toxic chemicals are not present." Instead of checking a chemical's concentration, flux gauges how much of these chemicals flows off the land and out to sea. Dr Byrne added: "By measuring PFAS flux at multiple locations across a river basin like the Mersey, we can distinguish different sources of PFAS to the river, such as runoff from landfills, and establish how much comes from that source."
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