Cerveny, Daniel
- Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
- Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích
Sammanfattning
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.
Nyckelord
Cetaceans; dolphins; pollution; PFAS; public health
Publicerad i
Human and Ecological Risk Assessment
2026
Utgivare: TAYLOR AND FRANCIS INC
SLU författare
Brodin, Tomas
- Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
- Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
UKÄ forskningsämne
Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa och socialmedicin
Miljövetenskap
Publikationens identifierare
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2026.2648329
Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/146780