Edible sorbents to lower PFAS in food and drinking water
Development of edible sorbent therapies to mitigate dietary exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
This project tests safe, food-based materials that could help people reduce how much PFAS they absorb from contaminated food and drinking water.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11172590 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are creating edible sorbents made from natural clays and nutrient additives that can be eaten or added to food and water. They will use computer models, lab binding tests, and animal studies to see how well these mixtures capture several common PFAS chemicals and their combinations. The team aims to optimize formulations that are safe to eat and that keep PFAS from getting into the body. If promising, the approach could be moved toward human testing and use in communities or among first responders after contamination events.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with dietary PFAS exposure, such as residents near contaminated sites, communities with affected drinking water, or first responders at contaminated incidents.
Not a fit: People whose PFAS exposures are mainly from non-dietary sources or who cannot take oral supplements (for medical or allergy reasons) may not see a direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these edible sorbents could reduce the amount of PFAS that reaches your body from contaminated food and water, lowering potential health risks.
How similar studies have performed: Related approaches like activated charcoal or bile-acid binders have shown some promise in reducing chemical uptake, but multicomponent edible sorbents for PFAS are a newer and not-yet-proven strategy in humans.
Where this research is happening
Hadley, United States
- University of Massachusetts Amherst — Hadley, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Meichen — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Wang, Meichen
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.