Blood Filter May Clear "Forever Chemicals"

A treatment primarily used for severe cholesterol disorders may also have the ability to filter certain environmental pollutants from the blood. Researchers have found that lipoprotein apheresis, a procedure that draws and filters a patient's blood, removes measurable amounts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals." The study, published in Brain Health, noted reductions in PFAS levels ranging from approximately 25% to over 70% for specific chemicals.

Further investigation yielded preliminary evidence suggesting that microplastic particles could also be reduced. While some laboratory tests indicated a decrease in certain plastic polymers, the findings were not statistically significant due to the small number of participants. Researchers propose the "passenger hypothesis," suggesting pollutants bind to lipoproteins and are thus removed during the apheresis process.

Experts caution that these findings are early and that lipoprotein apheresis should not be considered a "detox" solution. The study's limitations include a small patient sample size and a lack of long-term data on pollutant levels and health outcomes. Larger, long-term clinical studies are necessary to confirm the effectiveness and health benefits of this potential pollutant removal method.