Scientists Studying Wisconsin Wildlife for Signs of Ingesting PFAS Chemicals

Thursday, September 7th, 2023 -- 10:00 AM

(By John Davis, Wisconsin Public Radio) From bald eagles nesting near Lake Superior to mussels in the Mississippi River, scientists are increasingly studying Wisconsin wildlife for signs of the impact of ingesting the forever chemicals more commonly known as PFAS.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemical compounds, or PFAS, are odorless and tasteless chemicals that have been showing up in private and public water systems across the state. The chemicals have been around for decades and are associated with hundreds of products people use including firefighting foam, non-stick cookware and stain-resistant clothing.

They are linked to health problems in humans, including certain cancers and liver disease. A worldwide map of PFAS contamination from the Environmental Working Group shows that while PFAS contamination exists around the world, the United States has by far the greatest problem. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also tracks statewide contamination through an interactive map.

"What we know is it (PFAS contamination) is pretty much everywhere," said Sean Storm, a Wisconsin DNR fish and wildlife toxicologist. "We have detected it in numerous areas across the state. Not surprisingly, as we’ve seen with levels in fish, there are certain parts of the state where levels seem to be higher than others."

While PFAS contamination in water supplies has become a serious concern in communities around the state in recent years, scientists started tracking the impact on the state’s wildlife population more than 15 years ago.

"We first started looking at PFAS in wildlife back around 2007, and then we started doing it a little bit more regularly in 2011 and have been looking at it on and off since then," Storm said.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.