April 16, 2024 — A study from Dartmouth found that higher consumption of seafood is linked to a higher risk of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure. While the study looked specifically at people in New Hampshire, New Englanders are likely at higher risk because a legacy of PFAS pollution exists alongside a cultural preference for fish.
Researchers analyzed PFAS concentrations in fresh seafood with a statewide survey of eating habits in New Hampshire. National nutrition surveys have found that New Hampshire and all of New England are among the top consumers of seafood nationally, making New Hampshire ideal for researchers to learn more about the extent of people’s exposure to PFAS through fish and shellfish in saltwater.
“Basically, New Hampshire is a kind of case study that quantifies seafood consumption, particularly in a New England state, in order to estimate the potential risk of PFAS exposure that may come from very frequently consuming marine seafood,” Megan Romano, corresponding author and associate professor of epidemiology at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine, said.
She said the findings, published in the journal Exposure and Health, make a case for setting PFAS limits on seafood, not to stop eating seafood.