The dangers of PFAS

better known as

"Forever Chemicals"

PFAS (per / poly fluoro alkyl sulfonides; ‘Forever Chemicals’) are now recognized as toxic environmental chemicals with long lasting consequences, including causes cancers, liver and kidney disease, and neurodevelopmental disorders. PFAS represent a major challenge due to their extreme chemical stability, together with very long biological half-lives estimated to be up to several years in humans. PFAS are now recognized as a global health hazard causing various conditions ranging from cancers to kidney damage to cognitive defects and neurodevelopmental problems. Due to their wide usage in clothing, furniture, toys, as well as use in fire fighting foams, it is estimated over 90% of Americans have PFAS in their bodies. Methods to remove or reduce those levels are urgently needed.

Our approach

One reason for their long half lives is that they undergo enterohepatic recirculation, a normal process which recirculates bile acids from the gut back into the circulation. Overall, enterhepatic recirculation reduces elimination of PFAS from the body. We hypothesize that interventions which reduce this recirculation will increase elimination of PFAS from the body, and thereby minimize their toxic consequences. Current studies, supported by generous donations, are testing this possibility in a model of Multiple Sclerosis, where the presence of PFAS worsens the disease and increases neuropathology in the brain and spinal cord.