Penguins become marine detectives, thanks to pollutant-detecting anklets: Scientific jewelry picks up "forever chemicals" that can harm wildlife and humans.

This article focuses on a pilot study using Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) along Argentina’s Patagonian coast as biological monitors to detect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of persistent industrial pollutants known as "forever chemicals." Researchers fitted penguins with soft silicone ankle bands that absorb PFAS from the environment, allowing noninvasive tracking of these contaminants in remote marine areas. The study found PFAS in 91% of the bands, identifying both legacy and newer PFAS compounds, with exposure varying by location and time. This method offers a low-cost, less stressful alternative to traditional sampling and may be expanded to other marine species to better understand PFAS distribution and risks in Patagonia’s ecosystems. [Extracted from the article]