Breastfed infants metabolize perchlorate?

This is a test post to check whether or not research blogging can pick it up. This (below) is actually a very interesting article. Shelor et al. 2012 report significant differences between perchlorate excretion in breast and formula-fed infants, and provide evidence that bifidobacteria, which are common in the digestive tracks of breast fed but not formula-fed infants, drives breakdown of perchlorate. This is important because breastfed infants are thought to be a group most vulnerable to the effects of perchlorate exposure. Perchlorate is an iodine-uptake inhibitor. Since iodine is needed for formation of thyroid hormones, and thyroid hormones are important in brain development any agent that limits the body's ability to take up perchlorate can cause neurological impairment. Shelor, C., Kirk, A., Dasgupta, P., Kroll, M., Campbell, C., & Choudhary, P. (2012). Breastfed Infants Metabolize Perchlorate Environmental Science & Technology, 46 (9), 5151-5159 DOI: 10.1021/es2042806