Recent research highlights that specific microorganisms in the human gut can absorb harmful “eternal chemicals,” or PFAs, from their environment.
In experiments where scientists introduced these microorganisms into the intestines of mice, they discovered that the bacteria quickly accumulate compounds that the mice ingest.
The study noted that these eternal chemicals, classified as single and polyfluoroalkyl substances, were later excreted in feces, as detailed in a publication on Tuesday in Natural Microbiology.
Kiran Patil, director of the Faculty of Toxicology at the University of Cambridge Medical Research Council, voiced concerns about the challenge of removing these substances from our bodies, particularly given the widespread health implications they pose.
PFAs are notorious for their persistence in the environment; thousands of synthetic varieties exist, often found in everyday items like non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, and cosmetics.
Patil reported that certain human gut bacteria show a significant capacity to absorb and store PFAs in cellular clumps, which may protect the bacteria from the toxic effects of these substances.
To reach their conclusions, the researchers evaluated two mixtures of human bacterial strains against 42 common contaminants linked to food safety issues. Remarkably, they found that one or both bacterial communities depleted 13 contaminants by over 20%.
In further tests involving 10 contaminants with 14 carefully selected bacterial strains, they identified that at least one strain reduced the concentration of seven contaminants by more than 20%.
Among those degraded contaminants were two PFAs, PFOA and PFNA. Interestingly, these were bioaccumulated in nine bacterial strains at varying rates, with reductions of 25-74% for PFNA and 23-58% for PFOA.
While researchers have documented bacteria’s capacity to ingest these PFAs, they admit that the exact mechanisms behind this process remain unclear.
Nonetheless, the study sheds light on the significant bioaccumulation of PFAs by these microorganisms, aiming to pave the way for further exploration of the relationship between PFAs and gut microbiomes.
Co-author Indra Lu highlighted the pressing need to address the health impacts of PFAs, which are already present in both the environment and human bodies. While a method to eliminate PFAs hasn’t yet been discovered, Lu suggested that their findings could help develop strategies for removing these harmful substances from our systems.
Patil and fellow researcher Anna Lindell co-founded a startup, Cambiotics, to create probiotics designed to extract PFAs from the body while collaborating with the University of Cambridge’s Department of Innovation to enhance these microorganisms’ effectiveness.
Lindell reflected on the evolving perception of PFAs, saying they were once deemed safe but now clearly present risks. “It’s like a slow poison,” she noted, pointing out that the dangers weren’t immediately apparent due to low toxicity at minimal levels.
