Can eating fish regularly expose you to PFAS at levels that affect your health?

What's actually in it

PFAS contaminate surface water through industrial discharges, firefighting foam runoff, and leaching from soil where biosolids were applied. Fish absorb PFAS from water through their gills and accumulate them in tissues over their lifetime. Oily fish accumulate more because PFAS bind to proteins and lipids. The larger and longer-lived the fish, the higher the accumulation.

People eating fish from contaminated rivers, lakes, or coastal areas near PFAS sources take in these chemicals with every meal. Unlike mercury, which is tracked in fish advisories, PFAS in fish is rarely tested or reported publicly.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Pollut analyzed PFAS concentrations in fish and water from UK and Spanish waterways, then estimated dietary exposure for regular fish consumers. Multiple PFAS compounds were detected in fish from both countries. Dietary intake from fish exceeded health-based guidance values for some consumer groups eating fish multiple times per week from affected waterways.

The study found PFOS (one of the most toxic PFAS) as the dominant compound in fish muscle tissue. Concentrations varied by species, location, and fish size. Freshwater fish from industrial or agricultural areas showed the highest levels.

General advice: fish from open ocean (wild-caught cod, sardines, mackerel from deep waters) tend to have lower PFAS than freshwater fish or fish from coastal industrial zones. Farmed fish fed ocean meal can also carry PFAS from feed. Trimming visible fat before cooking reduces but doesn't eliminate PFAS since these chemicals also bind to protein.