Global flux of perfluoroalkyl acids from glaciers in a warming climate

Zhou, Y. and Hu, B. and Wang, X. and Fu, J. and Cousins, I.T. and Bi, X. and Wang, L. and Chen, M. and Wang, C. and Dong, H. and Ren, S. and Wang, Z. and An, T. and Li, D. and Jones, K.C. and Muir, D.C.G. (2025) Global flux of perfluoroalkyl acids from glaciers in a warming climate. One Earth, 8 (12): 101453. ISSN 2590-3322

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Abstract

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are industrial pollutants that circulate globally and accumulate in cold regions, including glaciers. They pose significant ecological and human health risks and are known for their extreme persistence. As glaciers melt, a process accelerated by global warming, PFAAs previously stored in ice are released into the environment. Our study quantifies PFAA fluxes from global glaciers, identifying key release hotspots including the Arctic and South and Central Asia. These hotspots include important fisheries in Arctic fjords and drinking water supplied from Himalayan glaciers. Controlling PFAA pollution in these regions will thus require reducing PFAA pollution at the source and mitigating global warming to slow glacial melting. This calls for an interdisciplinary collaboration bringing together scientists, local communities, and policymakers to develop effective mitigation strategies on these dual threats.