Gut microbes could be key to fighting toxic, long-lasting ‘forever chemicals,’ research says

Gut microbes could be key to fighting toxic, long-lasting ‘forever chemicals,’ research says

Study reveals human microbiome could protect against PFAS that are 'so widespread that they're in all of us'

A new study out of the University of Cambridge shows that certain human gut microbes could protect people from harmful "forever chemicals." (Justin Sullivan)

Teresa Ensley, who lost her brother, father and husband to cancers all in the space of a few years, sits with her mother at a town hall meeting about PFAS contamination in Calhoun, Georgia, on June 13, 2025. (ISSAM AHMED/AFP)

A resident holds a pamphlet about PFAS contamination during a town hall meeting in Calhoun, Georgia, on June 13, 2025. PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that repel heat, water, oil and stains. Developed in the 1940s, they're still used in nonstick pans, firefighting foams and stain-proof carpets, yet are now linked to hormonal disruption, immune suppression and cancers. (ISSAM AHMED/AFP)

Civil engineer and water quality expert Bob Bowcock collects samples to test for PFAS contamination from a property in Dalton, Georgia, on June 12, 2025. (ISSAM AHMED/AFP)

Amanda Hunt, 42, holds a sign revealing the results from PFAS testing at her home in Dalton, Northwest Georgia, on June 12, 2025. (ISSAM AHMED/AFP)