Scientists raise red flags after US lake sets shocking world record: 'We are worried'

Late in 2024, scientists announced they had discovered world-record levels of toxic "forever chemicals" in a New Mexico lake. Their newest study confirmed the results and analyzed the factors that contributed to this contamination.

What's happening?

The research expanded on the first study to examine PFAS contamination in the waters of Holloman Lake along with soils, plants, algae, fish, reptiles, and various species of birds and mammals, according to a summary from the University of New Mexico published by Phys.org.

All the samples had very high PFAS concentrations, up to or exceeding 10,000 times what the Environmental Protection Agency recommends in its drinking water standards.

Lake waters showed the highest concentration of PFAS anywhere in the world to date, as did one plant composite sample. The team also discovered the highest PFAS concentration recorded in a bird to date.

The scientists found that the contamination extends beyond the lake itself, and they linked this to past flooding events. For instance, the most contaminated soil sample was located downstream from the lake.

In the past, water from the lake sometimes flowed past a dam and into a network of playas — "shallow, generally circular, depressions with clay-lined basins" that "form at the lowest point in an enclosed watershed" and often serve as temporary lakes, according to the university.

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The scientists don't know how contaminated the playas in the area might be but stated that they can serve as important habitats for migratory birds.

Why is this study concerning?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been linked to a number of health concerns, including decreased fertility, increased risk of cancer, and reduced ability of the body's immune system to fight infections.

The scientists are worried that migratory birds will become heavily contaminated at Holloman Lake and then move on to other areas, putting hunters and people elsewhere at risk.

They also recorded a herd of oryx — a nonnative African big-game species that was released in the region from 1969 and 1977 — visiting the lake to drink and are worried that hunters could ingest contaminated meat.

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The Santa Fe New Mexican added that consuming just one bite of meat from a Holloman Lake duck would expose someone to more PFAS than is recommended for a lifetime.

"We are worried about the possibility of toxicity on reproduction and development in local birds, some of them sensitive species like the snowy plover," study lead author Jean-Luc Cartron said. "Contamination by PFAS could also be transgenerational, with contamination affecting not just animals living at or visiting Holloman Lake but also future generations."

Though Holloman is the most PFAS-laden lake discovered so far, there are a number of other large water bodies contaminated with these chemicals. For instance, one study found forever chemicals all over the Great Lakes Basin, including in air, rain, and water.

What's being done about PFAS?

In January, the New Mexico Department of Health issued an advisory for anyone who has eaten or captured wildlife from Holloman Lake in the past decade, urging them to speak to their medical provider. Hunting has been prohibited there since 2024.

And though PFAS are known for being difficult to remove from the environment, scientists have made breakthroughs, which could help safeguard people and wildlife in the future.

For instance, researchers at the University of Illinois found a way to remove the full spectrum of PFAS from water in a single process, and a team at the University of Rochester is doing similar work.

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