#5 Mel and the penguins

Not even 30 bee stings in one hand and a fridge full of exploding penguin eggs could stop PhD candidates Mel Wells to study the pollutant exposure of little penguins in Australia’s south. Based at the University of Tasmania, Mell uses the smallest of all penguin species, the little penguins, as marine ecosystem sentinels for PFAS exposure in the seas surrounding Tasmania.

The ‘forever chemicals’ PFAS are everywhere, in us, in our environment and our wildlife. Long-term exposure can cause a range of health issues including endocrine disruption, decreased fertility and certain types of cancer.

Mel's web page: https://www.utas.edu.au/profiles/staff/biological-sciences/melanie,-wells

Keen to learn more about PFAS and the exposure of wildlife, people, and the environment? Check out https://www.livingpfas.org (a project by podcast host Cat and her colleagues at the University of New South Wales Sydney). 

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