Anders Glynn

I started my research career as a zoologist and ecotoxicologist, my PhD thesis dealing with mechanisms of cadmium and zinc passage through the fish gill. I worked for over 25 years as a toxicologist/risk assessor/head of department at the Swedish National Food Agency. I have been at SLU since 2018, working as professor in toxicology

My research is currently focussed on questions important for chemical food and drinking water risk assessment in Sweden. All four parts of the risk assessment process is covered, hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment and risk characterization. Studies of cell, animal and human models are integral parts of my research. Currently research are focussed on:

Chemical/metal exposure from food and drinking water and child health

Exposure research on classical lipid-soluble persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as dioxins, PCBs and brominated flame retardants (PBDE), is still crucial for future development of risk assessment of these pollutants in fatty fish from the heavily polluted Baltic Sea. A mother/child cohort, called the POPUP cohort (Persistent Organic Pollutants in Uppsala Primiparas), is the base for assessment of chemical exposure of pregnant and nursing women in Sweden. In recent years a group of highly fluorinated organic substances, called PFAS, has been added to the large number of persistent organic chemicals studied in POPUP. PFAS may pose as a large threat to the drinking water supply in certain areas of Sweden.

Modelling of PFAS exposure from drinking water

In recent years highly PFAS-contaminated drinking water has been discovered in several areas of Sweden. In a colloborative project with University of Gothenburg, Umeå university, Centrum för arbets- och miljömedicin, Stockholm, and Swedish EPA, toxicokinetic models are developed for PFAS exposure assessment of populations exposed to PFAS in drinking water.

Combination effects of toxic chemicals/metals on child/adolescent health (CETCHAA)

In this project we aim at characterizing chemical compound/element (chemical) mixture exposure of children and adolescents in Sweden, and to elucidate if these mixtures affect child/adolescent health development. The project fills an important knowledge-gap about chemical mixture exposure and possible combination effects on health. The roject focus on early life/childhood/adolescence mixture exposures and child/adolescent health development (birth weight, thyroid and immune function), since these life-stages are especially sensitive to toxic effects of chemicals. The project uses data, and biobanked samples, from a nation-wide food consumption survey, Riksmaten Ungdom (RMU) 2016-17, and the mother/child cohort (POPUP). Moreover, in collaboration with Johan Lundqvist at BVF, newly developed bioassays for important toxicity pathways for chemicals are used to integrate epidemiological and bioassay approaches in the search for chemical combination effects threatening child/adolescent health.

Surface active chemicals and intestinal function

How do surface active substances in food and drinking water, such as fatty acids, food emulsifiers, and natural and industrial surfactants, influence the barrier function of the intestinal epithelium (hazard identification and characterization)? Compromised integrity of the intestinal barrier function is a feature of inflammatory bowel diseases and surface active substances have been implicated in the etiology of the diseases. Humans are exposed to a complex mixture of surfactants on a daily basis which could be an overlooked risk factor. Our studies have shown negative effects surface active compounds on the intestinal paracellular tight junction barrier and the transcellular efflux pump barrier both in vitro and in vivo at exposure levels relevant for Swedish consumers.

Financial support

FORMAS, Swedish EPA, Swedish National Food Agency