In the waters of the Arctic Ocean, “eternal” chemicals known by the abbreviation PFAS have been discovered. They are widely used by industrial enterprises and are dangerous for humans and animals, as they do not decompose in the natural environment.
According to recent research, PFASs are carried great distances in the ocean by currents. The University of Rhode Island found that the substances enter the water through precipitation and discharges from industries and sewage treatment plants.
In the Fram Strait area, a team of scientists installed systems to collect water samples. It turned out that PFASs move intensively between the Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean, with the latter receiving about 123 tonnes of harmful compounds annually. The Atlantic figure was 110 tonnes.
