Nanoplastics May Weaken the Effectiveness of Antibiotics

Nanoplastics’ Impact on Antibiotic Absorption and Resistance

A recent study reveals that nanoplastics—tiny plastic particles smaller than 0.001 millimeters—can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb antibiotics and may even encourage the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Researchers from the University of Vienna, University of Bonn, and University of Debrecen used molecular models to examine the interactions between common plastics (polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and nylon 6,6) and the antibiotic tetracycline. They found that nanoplastics can bind with tetracycline molecules, limiting or completely blocking the body’s capacity to absorb the antibiotic.

The Case of Tetracycline: A Commonly Used Antibiotic

Tetracycline is a widely used antibiotic effective against various bacterial infections. Through a process called simulated annealing—where molecules are heated, excited, and then cooled to stabilize—scientists observed nanoplastic particles tightly binding with tetracycline molecules.

Lukas Kenner from the University of Vienna suggests that these clumps of unabsorbed antibiotics attached to nanoplastics could become hotspots for bacteria to develop resistance to the drug.

Kenner highlights the particular concern indoors, where nanoplastic levels are roughly five times higher than outdoors. This is partly due to nylon fibers released from textiles, which we can inhale or absorb.

Breakdown of Everyday Plastics into Nanoplastic Particles

Daily items made from PE, PP, PS, and N66 degrade into nanoplastics due to sunlight, chemicals, and wear, breaking down into particles we ingest, inhale, or absorb through the skin.

While research on nanoplastics’ health impacts is still in its early stages, scientists know that nanoplastics are small enough to interact with cells and may even penetrate the blood-brain barrier, which normally blocks foreign substances like toxins and pathogens from reaching the brain.

Efforts to address the micro- and nanoplastic issue are urgent. Earlier this year, tests on bottled water from three leading U.S. brands detected nearly 250,000 nanoplastic particles per bottle on average, highlighting the scale of the challenge ahead.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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