Bangladesh's rivers, already struggling under the burden of industrial pollution, plastic waste and untreated sewage, are now facing another emerging threat that remains largely invisible to the public. Scientists and environmental researchers are increasingly detecting PFAS commonly known as "forever chemicals" in river water and sediments near major industrial zones. The discovery has raised concern among environmental experts about long-term risks to human health, aquatic biodiversity and food security.
PFAS is the abbreviation for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a large group of synthetic chemicals used widely in industrial processes and consumer products. These chemicals are valued for their resistance to water, grease and heat, and are commonly used in textile finishing, leather processing, firefighting foams, food packaging, and non-stick coatings. Because PFAS molecules are extremely stable, they do not easily degrade in nature. Once released into the environment they can persist for decades, circulating through rivers, soils, wildlife and eventually the human body.
For this reason, scientists often refer to PFAS as "forever chemicals." Once they enter natural ecosystems they accumulate gradually in water bodies and in the tissues of animals and humans, creating long-term contamination that is difficult to reverse.
Recent scientific research has confirmed the presence of several PFAS compounds in major rivers around Dhaka. Studies examining water and sediment samples from the Buriganga, Turag and Shitalakhya rivers detected multiple PFAS chemicals including perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA).
A 2025 scientific study published in the Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment found that PFAS compounds were present in every water and sediment sample collected from Dhaka's river systems. The total concentration of PFAS ranged between 23.96 and 89.35 nanograms per liter in water samples, while sediment concentrations varied between 2.18 and 11.67 nanograms per gram. Among the rivers studied, the Buriganga showed the highest levels of contamination, which researchers attributed to the discharge of untreated industrial wastewater from nearby factories.
The same research found that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) accounted for approximately 34 to 59 percent of total PFAS concentrations in water samples, while PFOS was found to accumulate heavily in river sediments. Scientists say this pattern reflects the long-term industrial release of these chemicals into urban waterways.
Separate investigations by international environmental organizations have also found widespread PFAS contamination in surface water in Dhaka and surrounding areas. A study conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and IPEN - the International Pollutants Elimination Network reported that PFAS were detected in 27 out of 31 water samples collected from rivers, lakes and tap water sources in Dhaka. According to the report, more than 60 percent of these samples exceeded the European Union's proposed safety guideline for PFAS in drinking water.
In some locations contamination levels were alarmingly high. Water samples collected from the Karnatali River near Savar, close to several textile and leather processing industries, showed PFAS concentrations hundreds of times higher than recommended European regulatory limits. Researchers also detected extremely high levels of PFOS, a compound that has been banned or restricted in many countries because of its toxicity and persistence.
Environmental scientists believe the major sources of PFAS contamination in Bangladesh are industrial effluents from textile dyeing and finishing plants, leather tanneries, chemical manufacturing facilities and the use of firefighting foams in airports and industrial complexes. Many of these facilities discharge wastewater into nearby canals or rivers with limited treatment.
Another challenge is that conventional wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove PFAS compounds. These chemicals can easily pass through treatment systems and eventually accumulate in rivers and sediments.
Although research on PFAS contamination in Bangladesh is still relatively new, awareness among policymakers is gradually increasing. Officials from the Department of Environment (DoE) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change have acknowledged the need for stronger monitoring of emerging pollutants, including PFAS.
In recent years the government has introduced stricter regulations on industrial effluent discharge under the Environment Conservation Rules and has required many factories to install Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). Authorities have also launched several river restoration initiatives around Dhaka aimed at improving water quality and reducing industrial pollution. However, experts say that PFAS-specific monitoring and regulation are still largely absent in Bangladesh.
Scientists warn that early action will be essential. Strengthening environmental monitoring, improving industrial regulation and raising public awareness about chemical pollution could help prevent a more severe crisis in the future.
If the spread of PFAS in Bangladesh's rivers continues unchecked, the consequences may not become visible immediately. But over time these "forever chemicals" could silently undermine the health of both people and ecosystems that depend on the country's waterways. Protecting the rivers today may be the only way to prevent a much deeper environmental and public health problem tomorrow.
The writer is a contributor
