Threat to Critically Endangered Dolphins: Unprecedented Levels of Harmful 'Forever Chemicals' Found in Australia's Burrunan dolphins

In a collaborative new study published in Science of the Total Environment, conducted by the Marine Mammal Foundation, RMIT, and the University of Melbourne, researchers have uncovered alarming concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals," in the critically endangered Burrunan dolphins of south-east Australia. This research, led by Chantel Foord, identified the highest global concentrations of legacy PFAS ever recorded in dolphins, as well as detecting new and emerging compounds.