Are emerging PFAS as toxic as “historical” PFAS?
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of chemical compounds that have been manufactured by humans since the 1940s. They are found in many everyday items, such as nonstick pans, waterproof clothing, and firefighting foams. Extremely resistant, they persist in the environment and accumulate in living tissue. Studies have shown that “historical” PFAS are neurotoxic, reprotoxic, and act as endocrine disruptors (they interfere with thyroid and sex hormones in particular). Studies have also shown that they cause alterations in lipid metabolism and liver toxicity. Although these substances have recently been banned, they have been replaced by new PFAS, known as emerging PFAS or “emPFAS,” which are increasingly found in wildlife. Their effects on health remain unknown, but they could be just as toxic as their predecessors.
Toxicity and bioaccumulation of emPFAS
The PROMISE scientific project (PFAS Research on one & mental health and psychological/social impacts on society and environment) seeks to better understand the dangers of these new compounds, using a multidisciplinary approach ranging from environmental sciences to epidemiology. It plans to monitor the presence of emPFAS in nature, particularly in “sentinel” species (amphibians, rodents, and seabirds contaminated by water, soil, and food, respectively) at two sites with unequal exposure to PFAS (Pierre-Bénite near Lyon and Île-de-Ré).
The effects of emPFAS, at doses found in the environment, will then be evaluated on brain function as well as at the cellular and molecular levels, using laboratory animal models (in vitro and in vivo). Researchers will focus on:
– the formation of new neural cells,
– the formation of the myelin sheath, a fat-rich sheath that surrounds nerve fibers and is essential for the conduction of nerve impulses,
– the functioning of the blood-brain barrier, a barrier that protects the brain and limits the passage of toxic or inflammatory molecules and pathogens circulating in the blood to the brain,
– neuronal activity.
Eco-anxiety
In a second phase, researchers will assess the possibility that this pollution has psychological consequences, particularly among young people, by looking at eco-anxiety among high school students exposed to these substances in tap water. Indeed, the very idea that “forever pollutants” can silently accumulate in the body can generate a feeling of unease. Growing public awareness, coupled with limited means of preventing exposure or its impact on health, could contribute to increased eco-anxiety.
This project is part of a broader effort to better understand the effects of new PFAS on health and the environment, in line with the recommendations of health authorities. It will document the prevalence and bioaccumulation of these emerging substances in the environment and their effects on human health, particularly neurotoxicological impacts. Beyond the physiological impacts, this project addresses a relatively unexplored dimension: how the perception and reality of contamination are associated with the mental health and sense of environmental vulnerability of young people, who are already experiencing climate uncertainty.
Project funding:
The PROMISE project is funded by FRM as part of the “Environment and Health 2025” Call for Projects.
ESSMA team members involved:
Other collaborators:
Sylvie Remaud, “Body-Brain Interactions During Adaptive Processes” Team, CNRS-MNHN 7221 “Molecular Physiology and Adaptation,” National Museum of Natural History (Principal Investigator).
Bruno Stankoff, Sorbonne University, Resource and Competence Center on Multiple Sclerosis at Saint-Antoine Hospital, “Repair in Demyelinating Pathologies: From Biology to Clinical Application” team at the Brain Institute.
Zalc, ICM.
Jérôme Badaut, CNRS.
