How prevalent are these toxic chemicals? They are everywhere.

Researchers have created a map showing where PFAS compounds, linked to cancer in humans, have been detected in wildlife. It covers the globe.

Polar bears in the Arctic and plankton in the Pacific. Cardinals in Atlanta and crocodiles in South Africa.

While concerns over PFAS compounds, also known as "eternal chemicals" because they break down very slowly, have largely focused on people, pollutants have also been detected in wildlife. Now, a review of research released Wednesday by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy organization that focuses on environmental safety, shows that PFAS appear in hundreds of species of wild animals to around the world.

In humans, some of these chemicals are linked to cancers, developmental problems, reduced immune function, hormonal interference and increased cholesterol. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency found that there were virtually no safe levels in humans for two of the most widely used PFAS chemicals and proposed designating them as hazardous.

To get a sense of contamination in wildlife, Environmental Working Group researchers reviewed more than a hundred studies and created a map from their survey.

"We were like, 'Holy smokes, this is shocking,'" said David Andrews, a senior scientist at the organization who worked on the review. , recalling his team's surprise at the number and dissemination of studies documenting the contamination.

With many wild animal and plant species already reeling under worsening biodiversity crisis driven by habitat loss, hunting and fishing, climate change and other pressures, scientists are increasingly concerned about the additional burden of PFAS contamination. .

Scientists are only beginning to understand this dynamic. One study found that PFAS levels in endangered sea turtles were correlated with a reduced ability to hatch. Others have found levels in dolphins that compare to workers who have been occupationally exposed.

Most Americans have PFAS in their blood, according to the federal government. The chemicals are found in a variety of consumer products, including nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, and stain-resistant fabrics. They are being phased out of food packaging.

Officially called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the chemicals are created by fusing together fluorine and carbon atoms to create a compound that does not does not exist naturally. Since many of these chemicals break down very slowly, they tend to build up in the food chain.

Manufacturers counter that not all PFAS compounds are not identical.

< p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">"It is neither scientifically accurate nor appropriate to lump this large family of solid, liquid, and gaseous substances into a single class," said< em class="css- 2fg4z9 e1gzwzxm0"> Tom Flanagin, spokesperson for the American Chemistry Council.

The Environmental Protection Agency sa.. .