"Forever chemicals" found for first time in Miccosukee Indian Reservation

Widely used in countless consumer and industry products, PFAS are the chemicals that give fabrics and materials resistance to heat, water and stains. They make non-stick cookware non-stick and waterproof mascara waterproof. Many of the 15,000 variations in existence today were created less than a century ago. Yet, they’ve become totally ubiquitous, not only in the environment — collecting in the air, soil and water — but inside wildlife and humans. Even low levels of exposure are believed to be problematic. That’s why strict near-zero limits are in place for some PFAS in U.S. drinking water.

Quinete and her research group have been among the first to extensively track and measure the local spread of PFAS in South Florida. They’ve published study after study pinpointing the presence of the chemicals in drinking water, rainwater and the canals that feed into Miami’s Biscayne Bay, as well as the marine life living in those coastal ecosystems, including oysters and economically important fish and lobsters.

More recently, the team’s work shifted to closely monitoring three canals with high PFAS concentrations — Miami River, Little River, and Biscayne Canal — to pinpoint potential sources, like airports or landfills.

Around the time that sampling was underway, though, Quinete heard from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

Concern was growing among members of the community over PFAS. They suspected the chemicals could be contaminating their water sources. But didn’t have any data to know for certain. Or even begin to ascertain the extent of the problem. Quinete’s team offered help. 

The Tribe first identified several locations of most concern. Then, Courtney Heath — an FIU master’s student in the Quinete’s lab — went out with them to collect samples.  

“Clean and safe drinking water is a top priority for the Miccosukee Tribe. The Miccosukee Constitution requires that Tribal government protect the health of both its citizens and its lands and waters,” said Amy Castaneda, the Miccosukee Tribe Water Resources Director.

“Working collaboratively with Dr. Quinete and her world-class team at FIU, we have been able to identify risks, find sources and strategize remedies to ensure clean water not just for the Tribal community but for all of South Florida’s residents, human and otherwise.”

PFAS levels in the reservation ranged from 3.94 to 40.1 parts per trillion (ppt). In comparison, Miami’s major canals — Miami River, Little River, and Biscayne Canal — were several times greater (30.1 to 153 ppt) with 78% of samples exceeding safe surface water screening standards.

The most predominant compounds in the Everglades were PFBA (which has been found to affect the liver and thyroid), as well as PFOS and PFOA (since phased out of production over cancer concerns).

In the northern reaches of the reservation, one particular canal was a “hotspot” with the highest sum of PFAS concentrations. Profiles of specific chemicals mirrored those previously found in Lake Okeechobee. At this time, the researchers can’t claim there’s a significant connection, though they say it’s an intriguing clue that deserves a closer look — considering current restoration efforts hinge on recharging the freshwater supply in the Everglades with water from Lake Okeechobee. 

“It could be one contributor but we need more research to know for certain,” Heath says. “It’s important to consider every aspect, because PFAS come from many sources — the water, air, soil. This data is just one piece of the puzzle that raises a bigger question: What are the sources of these PFAS? Where are they coming from?”

Quinete and the team look forward to continuing collaborating with the Tribe to answer these questions.

While there may not be any truly pristine PFAS-free place on the planet, the researchers know there’s only one way to understand the scale of the problem and guide future solutions or regulations — and that’s by collecting more and more data.

It’s an approach that FIU has followed for decades with success.

Nearly 40 years ago, teams of Everglades researchers discovered phosphorus, a common ingredient in fertilizer, was lurking in canal-water discharge coming from farmlands farther upstate. They gathered evidence showing the nutrient-rich waters were harming the wetlands and the wildlife they support. In collaboration with the Miccosukee Tribe, the findings informed real-world change: The restriction of phosphorus to 10 parts per billion for Everglades National Park — a standard incorporated into the federal Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Today, FIU still leads the science behind this massive restoration effort.

“Current restoration doesn’t take into consideration contaminants, like PFAS,” Quinete says. “But as known endocrine disruptors, they can potentially impact the Everglades ecosystem. So, understanding their presence is the first step toward protecting this fragile ecosystem.”