Circulation of toxic chemicals discovered in Arctic waters

An international team of scientists from the University of Rhode Island in the USA and the Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research in Germany discovered the circulation of so-called "eternal chemicals" in the straits between the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, Azernews reports, citing the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters (ESTL).

"Eternal chemicals" are called per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), which represent an extensive family of chemical pollutants. These compounds are very stable and almost do not disintegrate in the natural environment. They can accumulate in human and animal organisms, causing various diseases, including cancer and dysfunction of internal organs. Despite the known harm, PFAS are widely used in the production of various goods to impart fat- and water-repellent properties to materials.

The researchers found out that the exchange of PFAS between the waters of the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic occurs through the Fram Strait, located near the Svalbard archipelago.

The scientists used passive sampling systems that trapped PFAS into a microporous membrane filled with sorbent from passing water. They placed the systems at three locations in the Fram Strait and at four depths at each point.
As shown by the analysis of samples using chromatography and mass spectrometry, the waters of Fram Bay contain at least 10 different PFAS in various concentrations. At the same time, some pollutants are present at a depth of more than one kilometer.

The team calculated that annually about 123 tons of "eternal chemicals" enter the northern waters from the Atlantic Ocean, and about 110 tons of PFAS go in the opposite direction over the same period.