Shrimp from the North Sea contaminated with the man-made chemicals PFAS were detected at several sites in Belgian and Dutch coastal waters, according to a study released by the Flemish Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Research (ILVO) on Friday.
The highest levels of contamination of these perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances were found in samples from the mouth of the Western Scheldt. Lower levels were detected in samples from areas near La Panne.
PFAS concentrations vary significantly from one site to another, with values increasing from west to east. However, contamination levels in North Sea shrimp have likely decreased over the past 20 years. Long-term exposure to PFAS could pose health risks.
ILVO recommends continued monitoring and research on shrimp and other species of crustaceans and fish intended for consumption to identify PFAS concentrations in North Sea fishing zones.
ILVO also suggests that Belgian data should be compared with Dutch and British research to obtain a more comprehensive picture.
Based on these findings, researchers advise limiting commercial fishing activities in the Western Scheldt estuary and continuing to monitor PFAS contamination levels.
For this study, ILVO collected samples between January and December 2024 from both a research vessel and the surf.
