FOREVER CHEMICALS
PFAS-eating bacteria discovered in Veneto soil
A study from Catholic University, Piacenza, on the forever chemicals that threaten the human and planet health
Certain bacteria isolated from soil could knock out “eternal pollutants”, substances that, once dispersed in the environment, do not degrade and threaten human and planetary health: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), present in a wide range of products, from cosmetics to food packaging, from kitchen utensils to detergents. in fact, a research group from the Catholic University, Piacenza, has isolated about 20 species of bacteria from PFAS-contaminated soil in Veneto that are capable of degrading them, i.e. using them as a source of energy (as their sole source of carbon).
The work was coordinated by Professor Edoardo Puglisi of the Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences at the Catholic University. It was carried out in collaboration with the group of Prof. Giancarlo Renella of the University of Padua and presented at the European SETAC conference, the 35th annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, held on May 2025 in Vienna.
BACKGROUND
The increasing soil and groundwater contamination by PFAS represents a significant environmental challenge due to their persistence, mobility and associated harmful effects. The strong chemical bond between carbon and fluorine in these molecules makes PFAS difficult to biodegrade in the environment, hence the term “forever chemicals”.
PFAS are a highly heterogeneous family of chemical compounds that have been produced industrially since the 1940s for their water- and oil-repellent properties. These characteristics have led to their widespread use in fabrics, coatings, cosmetics and packaging, but they are also the cause of their recalcitrance, their ability to accumulate in the environment and in cells, and their toxic effects on humans. PFAS have been associated with the risk of various diseases such as diabetes and hormonal dysfunction.
Specifically, in the area under investigation in the province of Vicenza, industrial contamination probably caused by a local factory has led to widespread contamination of aquifers, soils, crops and even drinking water, with concentrations of up to more than 1000 ng/L.
THE STUDY
The experts at Cattolica University wanted to isolate and identify promising microorganisms capable of degrading PFAS, taken from contaminated sites. To this end, they analyzed the microbial diversity in soils containing PFAS sampled in polluted areas of northern Italy, specifically in highly contaminated sites in the Veneto region in the provinces of Vicenza and Padua. The experts combined classical microbiology techniques for the isolation of bacteria of interest with metabarcoding, a molecular biology technique based on the sequencing of the DNA collected in an environmental sample, used to rapidly identify the species present, providing indications on the bioremediation potential of PFAS.
Professor Puglisi explains: ‘We obtained these PFAS-eating bacteria through a process called “enrichment”, which involves growing them in media where they only have PFAS to feed on. We already have the complete genomes of these 20 PFAS-eating strains,’ the expert continues, ‘and information on the degradation rates for each one.’ In collaboration with the chemistry group in our department, we have measured the degradation efficiency of PFAS, reaching values in some cases above 30%, which is very high for this class of compounds. Tests are now underway on various PFAS, which will be followed by initial lab experiments to verify their remediation capabilities under more representative conditions.
‘We are studying these strains in more detail and analyzing their genomes: they are classified in the genera known in the field of bioremediation such as Micrococcus, Rhodanobacter, Pseudoxanthomonas and Achromobacter,’ Puglisi explains. These bacteria are easily cultivated in the laboratory and they usually are not harmful to humans. Furthermore, it is possible that genome analysis could lead to the discovery of genes involved in biodegradation that could be exploited biotechnologically in the future," the expert points out.
This research will provide new insights into the degradation of PFAS and may contribute to the development of sustainable bioremediation strategies for environments contaminated by these substances.
New NIH grant to explore impacts of PFAS on male reproductive health
Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research
DETROIT — A new grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will help Wayne State University researchers explore potential connections between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and adverse effects on male reproductive health.
The two-year, $95,178 grant, “Uncovering the molecular signature of PFAS mixtures on preconception male reproductive health,” is funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the NIH.
“What we’re doing now is bringing to light that a lot of reproductive challenges aren’t just a maternal problem, but that what men are exposed to and what state their bodies are in can have an enormous impact on the overall health of their children as well,” said DruAnne Maxwell, a Ph.D. student at Wayne State and the study’s principal investigator.
Richard Pilsner, Ph.D., M.P.H., professor of molecular obstetrics and gynecology and the Robert J. Sokol, M.D. endowed chair of molecular obstetrics and gynecology at Wayne State’s School of Medicine, serves as primary sponsor. Michael Petriello, Ph.D., assistant professor of environmental health sciences in the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and of pharmacology in the School of Medicine, serves as co-sponsor on the project.
“What is nice about this award is that it allows us to see the growth of this research project,” said Pilsner. “It stems from the CURES Pilot Grant P30 Program here at Wayne State University. We obtained some exciting results and now DruAnne, who runs the day-to-day research for this study, has received this coveted training grant and is moving the research forward.”
This proposal seeks to further reproductive health research and better understand the mechanisms by which PFAS influences spermatogenesis, sperm epigenetics and epididymosomes.
“We’re trying to show that men have to have an environmental responsibility prior to conceiving a child, at least for three months prior to conception,” said Pilsner. “Our research shows that PFAS exposure can impact offspring phenotype and sperm epigenetics.”
“Since we know these chemicals are out there and that we can’t completely get rid of them, I hope that we bring awareness to this issue and encourage people to make better decisions about how we are exposed to them; different regulations, using glass food storage instead of plastic ones, and so forth,” said Maxwell.
“F31 grants from the National Institutes of Health are important tools for supporting our next generation of scientists,” said Ezemenari M. Obasi, Ph.D., vice president for research & innovation at Wayne State. “I look forward to the important research outcomes that this research team will discover.”
The award number for this grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health is F31ES036425.
About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.
Wayne State University’s research efforts are dedicated to a prosperity agenda that betters the lives of our students, supports our faculty in pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation further, and strengthens the bonds that interconnect Wayne State and our community. To learn more about Wayne State University’s prosperity agenda, visit president.wayne.edu/prosperity-agenda.
