Overview
- Researchers at Technische Universität Dresden published preliminary results on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, reporting that two double‑filtration plasmapheresis sessions in 34 patients reduced several PFAS compounds by up to about 25 percent.
- The team proposes that PFAS and plastic particles bind to blood proteins and lipoproteins to form a larger ‘corona’ that can be retained by DFPP filters or adsorption cartridges.
- Analyses of discarded apheresis material also showed decreases in signals consistent with micro‑ and nanoplastics, but the authors say those findings are exploratory and not definitive because measurement methods are limited.
- Study limits include a small, mixed patient group and technical challenges in detecting plastics, so the authors call for animal tracer studies, improved analytic methods, and larger controlled human trials before clinical use.
- Apheresis is already used safely at experienced centers with mostly mild side effects, but the researchers and outside scientists stress exposure prevention remains the primary public‑health strategy and that blood cleaning would be an expensive, secondary option if proven effective.