More than 100 water samples taken from 18 sites in Casco Bay last year showed low levels of so-called forever chemicals.
Friends of Casco Bay and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences are conducting a three-year study on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, in the bay and their sources and impacts on the marine environment. PFAS are not easily broken down in either the environment or human body, which is why they are often referred to as “forever chemicals.”
Bigelow Laboratory Senior Research Scientist Christoph Aeppli analyzed the samples.
“The interesting thing we found there is that the concentration is pretty uniform across Casco Bay. So whether you’re in Portland Harbor on the working waterfront or around the Harpswell peninsula, it’s a pretty uniform, relatively low concentration,” Aeppli said.
Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca said the next step is to find the sources of the PFAS. She said sampling this year will focus on sampling water and sediment at key sites.
“We drew together a team of experts from throughout the lower Casco Bay watershed. And we selected 70 sites and we’ll monitor those 70 sites for water sampling,” she said.
Frignoca said 50 samples of sediment will be tested for PFAS. The three-year study will also look at PFAS impacts on the marine environment.
A Maine Sea Grant funded the 2023 research effort.
Friends of Casco Bay will hold an online webinar to discuss the three-year study and PFAS results in detail at 8 a.m. Thursday. Register here to get a link to attend.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
