PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish are dropping, study finds

By Danielle Kaeding | Wisconsin Public Radio | February 6, 2026

Read the full article by Danielle Kaeding (Wisconsin Public Radio)

"A new study published last month in the Journal of Great Lakes Research shows that PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish are on the decline as manufacturers have phased out some chemicals in recent decades.

Current and former researchers with the Environmental Protection Agency’s lab in Duluth analyzed PFAS levels in almost 1,000 samples taken from lake trout and walleye across all five Great Lakes from 1975 to 2020.

They tested for 45 chemicals and found PFAS levels peaked between 2007 and 2017 in all lakes. They’ve been dropping ever since, said Sarah Balgooyen, the study’s lead author."

Location:

• North AmericaUS
• North AmericaUSWisconsin

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• Environment
• Wildlife
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses