Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have the nickname ‘forever chemicals’ thanks to their persistence in the environment.
A new study by an international team of researchers has shown how several species of human gut bacteria can absorb and store PFAS.
Potentially, boosting these types of bacteria in our bodies could stop the chemicals from negatively impacting our health.
As levels of forever chemicals increased, the microbes worked harder at soaking them up.
“Given the scale of the problem of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, particularly their effects on human health, it’s concerning that so little is being done about removing these from our bodies,” says Patil.
The term “forever chemicals” refers to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) because of their enduring presence in the environment. Although a small number of bacteria are known to be able to absorb these harmful substances, it is unknown if any of our own microorganisms possess this ability.
An international team of researchers has recently demonstrated how PFAS can be absorbed and stored by a variety of human gut bacterial species. It is possible that increasing these kinds of bacteria in our bodies could prevent the harmful effects of the chemicals on our health.
According to Kiran Patil, a molecular biologist at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, “we discovered that some species of human gut bacteria have a remarkably high capacity to absorb PFAS from their environment at a range of concentrations, and store these in clumps inside their cells.”.
“The bacteria appear to be shielded from the harmful effects by the PFAS aggregation in these clumps. “.”.
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The researchers conducted extensive laboratory testing and discovered that 38 distinct gut bacterial strains could absorb chemicals at different concentrations. Of these, the fiber-degrading bacterium Bacteroides uniformis was one of the most effective.
In Escherichia coli experiments, the team also found some mechanisms that may influence how well bacteria absorb PFAS. This will be helpful if this absorption can be bioengineered in the future.
The scientists discovered that PFAS were successfully trapped in the bacteria that could withstand the chemicals. The bacteria grouped together in a way that decreased their surface area, potentially shielding the microorganisms from harm.
PFAS was rapidly absorbed by the microbes and expelled from the mice through their feces, according to additional tests conducted on mice that had nine of these bacterial species implanted in their guts. The microbes had to put in more effort to absorb the chemicals as their concentrations rose.
Molecular biologist Indra Roux of the University of Cambridge states, “The truth is that PFAS are already in the environment and in our bodies, and we need to try and mitigate their impact on our health now.”.
Though we haven’t discovered a means to eliminate PFAS, our research raises the prospect of creating strategies to remove them from the parts of our bodies where they cause the most damage. “.
PFAS are present in a wide range of products, including food packaging, drinking water, and cosmetics. They have become so ingrained in many manufacturing processes that it is now nearly impossible to avoid them entirely. The damage they may be causing to our bodies is less certain, despite the fact that they have already been connected to several illnesses, including kidney damage.
It’s unclear if the bacteria can eliminate PFAS from human bodies. The researchers speculate that probiotic dietary supplements could be created to help safely remove PFAS from our bodies by promoting the proper balance of gut microbes.
Patil says, “It’s concerning that so little is being done to remove these from our bodies given the scale of the problem of PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, particularly their effects on human health.”.
