Clinical Detoxification: Elimination of Persistent Toxicants from the Human Body

Biomonitoring and Elimination of Perfluorinated Compounds and Polychlorinated Biphenyls through Perspiration: Blood, Urine, and Sweat Study

“…Emerging evidence continues to demonstrate that, in the early 21st century, most people already carry an existing internal dose or body burden of persistent chemical pollution [9]. This realization has prompted some scientists to explore interventions to detoxify or to facilitate bioelimination of persistent contaminants in order to preclude and overcome illness [6]. …”

“…Adverse sequelae of the chemical revolution have recently been recognized, with several studies confirming that many chemical compounds have accumulated and persist within the environment and within people [1, 2], with attendant health sequelae in many cases [3, 4]. In response, research is currently underway to determine methods to eliminate persistent compounds from the body in order to preclude and overcome health problems [5, 6]. …”

“…Examples of regulatory codes include the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the United States, the Domestic Substances List (DSL) in Canada, and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemical substances Act (REACH) in Europe. Despite a battery of policies, regulations, and laws around the world, most human populations are chronically exposed to significant levels of diverse environmental toxicants [1, 6]. This is likely due to (i) lack of regulation in some jurisdictions, (ii) noncompliance with existing regulations, (iii) insufficient data on many chemicals to inform regulatory policy, and (iv) lack of political will to enforce standards in some locales.…”

“…Nevertheless, there has been little recognition that regulations and public education, aimed at minimizing human exposure to and uptake of some harmful chemical toxicants, are not enough to address the already present “internal dose” of toxicants harbored within many in the general population [9], including neonates [10]. Based on the basic epidemiologic model of causation involving host, agent, and environment, there is a need for the medical research community to focus on efficient ways of clearing the host of the agent, in this case the environmental toxicants [6]. The same principle is used in infectious disease epidemiology, whereby in addition to limiting the human exposure to pathogens, research has led to the discovery of antibiotics, antivirals, and antiparasitic medications to eradicate the source pathogen.…”

Gastrointestinal Elimination of Perfluorinated Compounds Using Cholestyramine and Chlorella pyrenoidosa

“…While there has been little attention in scientific research to clinical detoxification [31], there is a clear need to develop methods to reduce the body burdens of PFCs and other persistent toxicants in order to preclude adverse outcomes. There has been minimal study on means to specifically facilitate removal of PFCs from the human body, and recent research exploring the potential elimination of these compounds through skin depuration demonstrated a lack of success [32].…”