Cerveny, Daniel
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice
Abstract
The consumption of cetacean meat by humans persists in several regions worldwide, either legally or as part of long-standing cultural traditions. While health risks associated with mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls in marine mammals are well documented, less attention has been paid to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are persistent, bioaccumulative contaminants with well-established adverse effects on human health, and recent evidence indicates pronounced biomagnification in marine food webs. Cetaceans, as long-lived apex predators, can accumulate exceptionally high PFAS concentrations, particularly in liver, blood, and muscle tissues consumed by humans. Here, we synthesize recent data on PFAS levels in whales and dolphins and discuss the implications for human dietary exposure. Simple exposure scenarios suggest that even a single meal of cetacean meat may exceed current health-based guidance values by orders of magnitude. We argue that PFAS contamination adds a critical dimension to the human health risks associated with cetacean consumption, warranting renewed public health attention and precautionary guidance.
Keywords
Cetaceans; dolphins; pollution; PFAS; public health
Published in
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment
2026
Publisher: TAYLOR AND FRANCIS INC
SLU Authors
Brodin, Tomas
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
UKÄ Subject classification
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Environmental Sciences
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2026.2648329
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/146780