Foam from Muskegon Lake contained over 4,000 parts per trillion of a synthetic chemical known to harm human and environmental health, researchers said

Source of high PFAS levels in Muskegon Lake foam unknown, researchers say

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2024-11-24 12:30:04

Foam from Muskegon Lake contained over 4,000 parts per trillion of a synthetic chemical known to harm human and environmental health, researchers said on Monday. That’s unusually high, but its cause and the implications of the event are still unclear.

The foam, sampled in mid-August, contained large concentrations of PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), one of almost 15,000 chemicals in the PFAS family.

But the amount of PFOS in the foam may not reflect the water quality of the lake, said Alan Steinman, a research professor at Grand Valley State University’s Annis Water Resources Institute.

“This was really an unusual event,” he said. “It was almost an aberration.” The institute monitors the lake for water quality issues, including PFAS. This sample wasn’t collected as part of a study, he said.

Not all foam found on water surfaces is toxic. Some foam on lakes and rivers occurs naturally as biological matter breaks down.