Faroese Whale Meat Contaminated with PFCs

Researchers are finding that people who live in the islands between Norway and Iceland have something in common with residents of the Mid Ohio Valley – elevated levels of PFCs in their blood.

Perfluorinated chemicals like PFOA or C8, which is used in the manufacture of Teflon and thousands of other consumer products, have been detected in the blood of people who eat whale meat in the North Atlantic.

Previously most exposure was thought to come from living near industrial facilities that use the substances or from consumer products and household items like carpets or furniture. The new research may indicate that the family of manmade chemicals has spread worldwide.

A recent study revealed that a single meal with whale meat once every two weeks was associated with a 25 percent increase in exposure.