Studie verbindet die Exposition gegenüber PFAS-„Forever-Chemikalien“ mit einer schwächeren Immunantwort und erhöht den Wasserschutzbedarf – Neue Studie ergab, dass Personen mit höheren Konzentrationen der Forever-Chemikalien in ihrem Blut weniger schützende Antikörper produzierten, wenn ihr Immunsystem auf ein neues Virus traf.

Study links PFAS exposure to weaker immune response, raising water protection needs

Summary

Why this matters:

PFAS are found in drinking water, food packaging and everyday household products.

Exposure is widespread across the United States.
The immune system is one of the most sensitive targets of PFAS exposure.

This study suggests those effects may persist into adulthood — not just childhood.

Findings reinforce the importance of strong drinking water standards and reducing exposure

New research finds that exposure to PFAS may weaken the immune system in adults, raising new concerns about the long-term health effects of these widely used chemicals.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a large class of human-made chemicals used in products ranging from nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics to firefighting foams. Often called “forever chemicals,” they do not easily break down in the environment and can accumulate in the human body over time.

Some PFAS remain in the body for years. One compound highlighted in the study, perfluorohexanesulfonic acid, or PFHxS, can persist for nearly a decade, making it a particularly important marker of long-term exposure.

In a study of people previously exposed to PFAS through contaminated drinking water, researchers found that individuals with higher levels of the forever chemicals in their blood produced fewer protective antibodies when their immune systems encountered a new virus — a key measure of how effectively the body responds to infection.

For those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935126004822