The Persistence of the Synthetic: Forever Chemicals, Sovereign Residue, and the Metaphysics of Occupation
The Persistence of the Synthetic: Forever Chemicals, Sovereign Residue, and the Metaphysics of Occupation Amiel Gerald A. Roldan July 24, 2026 The detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the hydrological and biological systems linked to Manila Bay and Laguna Lake constitutes more than an empirical finding in environmental chemistry. It offers a material allegory for a deeper ontological condition: the stubborn residue of interventions that refuse decay. Between 2016 and 2018, researchers at the University of the Philippines Diliman identified nine perfluorinated compounds across river water, sediment, fish tissue, and selected treated drinking-water samples. Combined concentrations reached 59 ng L⁻¹ in river water, 3.3 ng g⁻¹ in sediment, 20 ng g⁻¹ in fish, and 12 ng L⁻¹ in treated water. Higher loadings correlated with industrial wastewater inflows. Most measured values remained below the study’s thresholds of significant risk; yet PFOS levels in three short-m...
