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The Conversation ·Behind the news

PFAS Leave Fingerprints in Your Blood – Researchers Are Figuring Out How Forever Chemicals Transform in Your Body to Read These Clues

by Carrie McDonough, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University

Published 2026-05-29 12:36:19+00:00

If forever chemicals transform inside us, how can we ever trace their true origins?

0:00 / 9:17 · Narrator Sulafat

Context

You know how some problems feel too vast to truly grasp? PFAS, those ‘forever chemicals’ now found in virtually every living thing, can certainly feel that way. This piece doesn’t just remind us of their omnipresence and risks, but invites us into the intricate detective work scientists are doing. They’re trying to read the ‘fingerprints’ these chemicals leave in our blood, grappling with how they transform and accumulate, making the task of tracing their origins incredibly complex. It’s a fascinating look at a deeply personal and global challenge.

Show notes

An examination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals," and their ubiquitous presence in living organisms. The piece details how PFAS accumulate and transform within the human body, leaving a unique chemical "fingerprint" in blood and tissues. It explains the scientific complexities of interpreting these fingerprints to accurately trace exposure sources and inform safety guidelines.

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