• L0rdMathias@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    Yes, in theory. It’s extremely dangerous and absurdly expensive. It also would only address the microplastics currently in the bloodstream - the ones already embedded into organ tissues wouldn’t be reliably filtered out this way.

    • Rednax@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      When it comes to PFAS contamination, people have been having decent results by simply donating blood often. Getting it out of the system via blood does help to reduce overall levels in your body.

      • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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        2 months ago

        Donating plasma works even better. They extract a larger volume of fluids per session, twice a week instead of once every 8 weeks.

        Don’t worry about the recipient: If you are donating plasma regularly, your PFAS levels will be well below average.

        • Rednax@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Huh, I thought that they only filtered your blood when donating plasma, hence the PFAS could simply be returned to you. But I have to admit that I’m far from an expert on this matter.

          Either way, we kinda have returned to bloodletting being a reasonable medical approach.

          • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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            2 months ago

            They centrifuge your blood and return the RBCs, but the PFAS hangs out in the plasma. Mostly. If there was much in the red blood cells, the liver would be removing it and you’d be pooping it out.

        • turtlesareneat@discuss.online
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          2 months ago

          A woman having a child is the biggest reduction. Make of that what you will. I sure hope the placenta, and not the baby, is getting the remainder. But I am guessing both.

        • otterpop@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Here’s a source for anyone interested. I just tested my well water where I’m at and it’s 10x over the legal EPA limit :( . Might be testing my blood next and heading to the plasma donation center!

        • klay1@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          wait are you guys serious? I know about microplastics and pfas in us but is it a fact donating helps to get rid of some?

          • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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            2 months ago

            For PFAS, yes, definitely. They’ve done studies on this, some are linked elsewhere in the thread. PFAS in the bloodstream is removed through either whole blood or plasma donation.

            For microplastics, I can’t say with absolute certainty, as I don’t know the concentration of microplastics in the blood, or if replacement blood/plasma contains microplastics. But, the mechanism is the same: extract polluted fluids; allow body to replace with non-polluted fluids. Concentration of pollution falls.

    • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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      2 months ago

      It’s called “plasmapheresis”, and they’ll pay you $40 twice a week to sit in a chair for an hour while they do it.

      • L0rdMathias@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        They’re so nice to do this out of the goodness of their hearts for any random person that asks for the procedure, at a financial loss, with no ulterior motive whatsoever.

        • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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          2 months ago

          I mean, if you really want to, you can go to the hospital and pay them to provide the exact same treatment.

    • Deceptichum@quokk.au
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      2 months ago

      Extreme heat can destroy plastics, if I were to say self immolate would that be enough to remove the imbedded plastics?