ENS 301.01:
Polluted Waters: The Threats of PFAS Pollution for Oceana County’s Fish and Community Health
by Ashley Bouwknegt
Embedded Files
Figure 1. Author (2023)
Introduction
Lake Michigan stands as a vital symbol of West Michigan, from the freshwater ecosystems to the abundance of fisheries and other water-related recreation that the lake provides. Many of these delicate ecosystems are in danger from per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These substances, among others, are accumulting in fish populations as they are exposed through dietary intake and aquatic environments. A study by George (2023) showed that 61% of PFAS exposure in adults is linked to food intake (George et al., 2023). This growing issue must be acted upon, as there are currently no proven solutions to purify the waters of these substances. Instead, there are ways communities can act together to help slow the influx of these types of pollutants.
What are PFAS and what species do they impact?
PFAS are synthetic compounds that have been manufactured for over 70 years. The term encompasses a range of chemical compounds characterized by their carbon-fluorine atom structures (CDC, 2017). This study will focus on two specific types of PFAS: perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA).
In Oceana County alone, Brook Trout, Bluegill, Northern Pike, and Yellow Perch are all flagged for PFAS contamination (MDHSS, 2023). Along with contamination in fish species, PFAS is present in 97% of U.S. citizens (Perera, & Meegoda, 2024). A significant potential link was found between dietary intake of fish and other seafood and PFAS accumulation in humans.
Figure 2. Author (2024)
Figure 3. Author (2022)
How do PFAS impact humans?
PFAS is linked to nervous, reproductive, hormonal, and metabolic system damage (Miranda et al., 2023).
Health impacts for humans include high cholesterol, thyroid disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers (Talpos, 2019, p. 3).
Heart disease, of which high blood pressure may be a contributing factor (Harris, 2022), and cancer are the top two leading causes of death in the US (CDC, 2022).
These statistics may point to deeper connections between PFAS and disease in humans than are currently known. More research is needed, however, to fully understand the impacts of PFAS on humans.
Who is responsible for the spread of PFAS throughout the environment in the Lake Michigan region?
The highest concentration of all perfluoroalkyl substances in fish species is PFOS. This compound is linked to “consumer products, precursors, and from U.S. as well as foreign products” (Lin et al., 2021, p. 4).
PFNA, another PFAS type, is found in higher concentrations throughout sparsely populated regions around Lake Huron and Ontario with nearby manufacturing industries (Lin et al., 2021)
Figure 4. Robert S. Donovan, Stanford News (2021). Zevin Asset Managment. https://www.zevin.com/news-views/q1-2021-impact-update
Ostrom's Socio-Ecological Relations Framework
Ostrom's Socio-Ecological Relations Framework
How it works:
This theoretical framework shows the relationship between social and ecological systems, and local policy (Delgado-Serano & Ramos, 2015). Examining this relationship through the theory, integration of local inhabitants' voices, experiences, and knowledge can be at the forefront of remediation efforts. Ostrom's theory utilizes four different factors including resource systems(RS), resource units(RU), users(U), and governance systems(GS). The interactions and outcomes between these factors are analyzed to reach a viable outcome for all.
How the theory can be utilized for Oceana County, Michigan:
The theory analyzes both quantitative and qualitative data. When assessing resource systems, we will look at local fish species and take a quantitative analysis of each species. Resource units are categorized through an examination of which fish species are most prevalent in Oceana County. After assessing the characteristics and population of fish species, the community individuals are highlighted through looking at users or actors in the population. Users are those who are impacted in some way by the resource system. A qualitative analysis is useful to understand the different community perceptions of this issue. The next step in the theory is the governance system: those who directly create and influence laws that impact how the resource is managed. Interactions include how the community utilizes the resources and is impacted by this connection with the resources. While interactions focus on social connections with the resource, outcomes focus on economics and prevalence of the resource unit, including its sustainability. The social-ecological systems(SES) dynamic is a feedback loop that is influenced by adaptations from the community that create changes over time. This loop can be assessed through any changes the community has made, for example, from fishing advisories or related interventions causing a related chain of events.
Research Question + Why it is Important
Research Question + Why it is Important
How does PFAS contamination in freshwater fish impact the economy and community well-being in Oceana County, Michigan? What initiatives has the community taken for remediation, and what do they feel still needs to be addressed?
While the severity of the PFAS crisis is relatively well recognized, there is limited understanding of the effects it may have on communities along the lakeshore. This includes impacts on local businesses supported by the fishing industry, individual well-being, health consequences of PFAS exposure, and ongoing ability to fish for leisure, sport, or sustenance. Lake sediment and fish samples can provide valuable clues about potential sources of pollution, but we still lack a complete understanding of how these factors relate to industry practices and the health impacts associated with them. Addressing these gaps is crucial for both the economy and community well-being in Oceana County and surrounding Lake Michigan communities.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). 2. Leading causes of death. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). The family tree of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) for environmental health professionals, names and abrreviations. 2. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/docs/PFAS_FamilyTree_EnvHealthPro-508.pdf
Delgado-Serrano, M. & Ramos, P. (2015). Making Ostrom’s framework applicable to characterize socioecological systems at the local level. International Journal of the Commons. 23.https://thecommonsjournal.org/articles/10.18352/ijc.567
George, S., Baker, T., & Baker, B. (2023). Nonlethal detection of PFAS bioaccumulation and biomagnification within fishes in an urban- and wastewater-dominant Great Lakes watershed. Environmental Pollution, 11(321)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121123.
Harris, K. (2022). Hypertension and heart disease. OSF HealthCare, 4. https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/hypertension-and-heart disease/#:~:text=Hypertension%20is%20not%20heart%20disease,something%20you%20want20to%20ignore
Lin, Y., Capozzi, S. L., Lin, L., & Rodenburg, L. A. (2021). Source apportionment of perfluoroalkyl substances in Great Lakes fish. Environmental Pollution, 290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118047
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). Eat safe fish guide, 113. https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs//media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/DEH/Eat-Safe Fish/Documents/SW_EAT_SAFE_FISH_GUIDE_-_SOUTHWEST_MI_WEB.pdf
Perera, C., Meegoda, J., N. (2024). PFAS: The journey from wonder chemicals to environmental nightmares and the search for solutions. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 14(8611), 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14198611
Miranda, D. A., Zachritz, A. M., Whitehead, H. D., Cressman, S. R., Peaslee, G. F., & Lamberti, G. A. (2023). Occurrence and biomagnification of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Lake Michigan fishes. Science of the Total Environment, 895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164903
Talpos, S. (2019). They persisted. American Association for the Advancement of Science, 364(6441), 6. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.364.6441.622
Tomaino, P. (2021). Q1 2021 impact update. Zevin Asset Management. https://www.zevin.com/news- views/q1-2021-impact-update
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