Why it matters

Teflon turtles

1st March 2008

Non-stick chemicals find their way into sea turtles

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Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Hollings Marine Laboratory in South Carolina will report some disturbing news about sea turtles in an upcoming paper in the journal Toxicological Sciences: Blood samples from turtles in the wild contain perfluorinated compounds, substances used in the manufacture of non-stick coatings for cookware, fabrics, cosmetics and carpets. Turtles with higher levels of the compounds in their bloodstream showed more signs of damage to their health; further lab tests in mice and in lizards at levels comparable to what was seen in the turtles resulted in damage to their immune systems.

Where the compounds are coming from is unclear, says Professor Jennifer Keller, co-author of the report. Extremely resilient, they do not break down easily and may come from chemical factories or from landfill sites.

If we stop releasing them, will the damage to wildlife be mitigated? “The answer is both yes and no,” Prof. Keller says. There is evidence that levels in the environment decline when production of the compounds is reduced, “but they will probably still be around for a long time.”

Published in The Green Report in The Globe and Mail

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• Tags:
• Body Burden
• Marine Ecology
• Non-Stick Coatings
• Perfluorinated Compounds
• Reptiles
• Turtles
• Wildlife

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