It found widely used sugar substitutes are not decomposing, and are turning into ‘forever chemicals’ that are comparable to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their potential harm to animals and the environment.

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals commonly used in water-resistant and non-stick items. They have been identified in a growing body of research as a toxin and carcinogen with proven negative impacts on the environment and human health.

Why do sweeteners cause a problem?

“Our treatment plants are not easily able to degrade them as well. So they will be directly discharged into the environment. And this will gradually lead to the accumulation in the environment and eventually effect all the water creatures.”

Artificial sweeteners are not fully absorbed by the human body. Source: Getty / Juanmonino/iStockphoto

Li said that some fish may die early as a result, and that represented a potentially big problem in the ecosystem.

“The bottom line is anything changing the fish will eventually impact the upper food chain and impact other creatures. We have found algae can be impacted, and they all of a sudden bloom, and all of a sudden die, because of the build-up of artificial sweeteners.”

Were all sweeteners equally harmful?

Other artificial sweeteners found in wastewater included neotame, stevia and neo hesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC).

What could the potential impact be?

She said that while there has been much focus on PFAS in recent years, artificial sweeteners have a similar “accumulation pathway” in our environment and in drinking water, affecting organisms.