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How gut bacteria can help rid us of eternal chemicals

25.9.2025

Translation: machine translated

Intestinal bacteria can absorb PFAS - harmful forever chemicals - and flush them out of our bodies. Researchers are hoping for probiotics to combat the forever chemicals.

Not for the first time, our gut microbiome could be the key to health: Researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered that certain gut bacteria are able to absorb PFAS - the infamous forever chemicals - into the body and expel them in the stool.

This doesn't sound very spectacular at first, but it could elegantly alleviate an ever-growing problem. We are all accumulating more and more of these harmful substances in our bodies. The research findings harbour the potential to protect the body from these harmful substances with newly developed probiotics.

PFAS stands for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances. These synthetic chemicals are used everywhere: in outdoor jackets, coated pans, cosmetics and even in fast food packaging. They are water, grease and dirt repellent - but almost non-degradable. This makes PFAS eternal chemicals: they not only accumulate in the environment, but also in our bodies. PFAS were long considered safe, but it is now known that they are linked to cancer, infertility and immunodeficiency. The exposure is detectable practically everywhere and the problem is: they remain in the body for many years.

How intestinal bacteria bind eternal chemicals

The team led by Dr Lindell and Dr Patil used human intestinal bacteria in mice and showed that as soon as PFAS entered the food, the bacteria collected up to three quarters of them - and thus ensured that they were excreted in the faeces. The more PFAS there were, the more the bacteria were in demand.

«PFAS are so widespread that they are detectable in each and every one of us», says study leader Lindell. «For a long time they were considered safe - but now we know that they act like an insidious poison.» Patil adds: «We found that certain intestinal bacteria absorb PFAS particularly effectively and store them within themselves. The aggregation seems to protect them from negative effects.» It is not yet clear how effectively the principle works in humans in the long term. However, the researchers remain cautiously optimistic.

Probiotics against PFAS: hope for the future

If the approach works, a tablet could help get rid of the eternal chemicals in the future. The spin-off Cambiotics is working on useful bacterial capsules that specifically bind PFAS and remove them from the body. The idea: a healthy microbiome as a clean-up crew against eternal chemicals.

Until the new probiotic is on the shelves, the researchers continue to advise people to avoid PFAS-contaminated products as far as possible - because the risks remain current and the solution is still a long way off.

Header image: Saiful52/Shutterstock

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Anna Sandner

Senior Editor

Anna.Sandner@galaxus.de

Science editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always outside - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.

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