Researchers Explore Blood-Cleansing Therapy to Remove Environmental Toxins
A preliminary study conducted by researchers at Technische Universität Dresden has investigated the potential of therapeutic apheresis, a blood-cleansing procedure, to reduce levels of persistent environmental pollutants such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs). The study suggests that double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) and adsorption-based apheresis systems could serve as a novel precision medicine strategy to decrease the body's burden of environmental toxins linked to various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, endocrine disruption, inflammation, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Researchers observed decreases in circulating PFAS and MNP-associated signals in patients undergoing therapeutic apheresis, although the magnitude of reduction varied among individuals and across different contaminants.