Nanoplastics in the human body are weakening antibiotic effectiveness, heightening resistance risks

New research reveals how nanoplastics compromise antibiotic effectiveness, raising alarm over plastic pollution’s role in fueling global antibiotic resistance.

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A recent study reveals how nanoplastics, tiny plastic particles that permeate human bodies, may hinder the effectiveness of antibiotics like tetracycline, posing an overlooked threat to global public health. With antibiotic resistance already on the rise worldwide, scientists are sounding alarms that nanoplastics may accelerate the problem by reducing the efficacy of essential medicines and altering their behavior within the body. The research sheds new light on an urgent, yet often invisible, consequence of plastic pollution.

Nanoplastics, particles less than 1,000 nanometers in size, have entered human bodies through daily exposure to plastic pollution in air, water, and even food. These microscopic particles are so small that they enter the bloodstream and travel through tissues, presenting potential health risks that researchers are only beginning to understand. As plastic products degrade from use and environmental exposure, they break down into minuscule pieces—nanoplastics—that now appear in everything from bottled water to household dust.

The plastics studied in this research include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and nylon 6,6 (N66)—all commonly used materials that degrade into nanoplastics through physical wear, chemical exposure, and sunlight. These particles make their way into the body primarily through inhalation, ingestion, and even skin absorption, exposing people to a constant, low-level dose of micro- and nanoplastics. Previous studies have demonstrated that humans consume up to five grams of microplastics weekly, the equivalent of a credit card’s weight in plastic.

This constant influx of plastic pollution means that nanoplastics are now commonly present in human blood and tissues. New findings about their interactions with antibiotics emphasize the far-reaching consequences of plastic pollution, extending beyond environmental damage to direct impacts on human health.

Researchers from the University of Vienna, University of Bonn, and the University of Debrecen collaborated to examine the interaction between nanoplastics and the antibiotic tetracycline. Tetracycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used widely for respiratory tract infections, skin issues, and other bacterial infections. To understand how nanoplastics affect tetracycline, researchers used simulations and in vitro experiments to replicate conditions within the human body.

The research team employed molecular simulations to observe the interactions between tetracycline and four types of nanoplastics: PE, PP, PS, and N66. The simulations revealed that nanoplastics bind with tetracycline molecules, diminishing the drug’s absorption and, consequently, its efficacy. This study marked the first time researchers could analyze how specific nanoplastics impede the action of a crucial antibiotic at the molecular level.

One of the study’s most concerning revelations was that each type of nanoplastic had a distinct effect on the absorption of tetracycline. For instance, polystyrene was found to decrease the antibiotic’s biological activity significantly, compromising its effectiveness. In particular, nylon (N66) showed a strong binding interaction with tetracycline, which could obstruct the drug’s absorption by the body, making it less available for fighting infections.

Dr. Lukas Kenner, a co-author of the study and a professor at the Medical University of Vienna, expressed particular concern about indoor exposure to nanoplastics like nylon. “The micro- and nanoplastic load is around five times higher indoors than outdoors,” Kenner explained, citing textiles as one of the primary indoor sources of nanoplastics that can enter the body through respiration.

This binding effect, which occurs on the surfaces of nanoplastics, may also lead to concentrated antibiotic deposits outside of target areas in the body. This displacement could make the antibiotics less effective in treating infections and allow bacteria in other body areas to adapt to the drug’s presence, ultimately fostering antibiotic resistance.

The findings add another layer of complexity to the growing issue of antibiotic resistance. If nanoplastics redirect antibiotics from their intended locations or decrease their overall effectiveness, they may inadvertently contribute to resistance by creating microenvironments where bacteria can adapt to weakened doses of antibiotics. Dr. Kenner emphasized the risk associated with this phenomenon, stating, “Our finding that the local concentration of antibiotics on the surface of the nanoplastic particles can increase is particularly worrying.”

Antibiotic resistance, recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the top ten global health threats, is projected to cause millions of deaths annually by mid-century if left unchecked. The potential role of nanoplastics in accelerating resistance underlines the need for a more comprehensive approach to combating this looming crisis. If environmental factors like nanoplastics can hinder antibiotics, addressing pollution could become a critical part of efforts to manage antibiotic resistance.

The study also highlights broader environmental health risks linked to nanoplastics. Known to be present in ecosystems worldwide, nanoplastics have been found in marine animals, agricultural soils, and drinking water supplies, suggesting that no region is safe from their reach. Their incredibly small size allows nanoplastics to interact with human cells on a molecular level, sometimes even penetrating the blood-brain barrier, which is supposed to protect the brain from harmful substances.

Moreover, researchers are concerned that nanoplastics’ interactions with pharmaceuticals could extend beyond antibiotics, potentially impacting the effectiveness of other types of medications. This raises critical questions about how widespread nanoplastic contamination may influence drug efficacy across multiple therapeutic areas, with consequences for healthcare systems and patient outcomes.

Experts are now calling for a re-evaluation of regulations around plastic production and use, especially for products that degrade into harmful nanoplastics. While progress has been made on reducing visible plastic waste, the issue of nanoplastics remains largely unregulated, with few restrictions on products that contribute to nanoplastic pollution.

Environmental and public health advocates are urging governments to prioritize research on nanoplastics and to establish stricter regulations on plastic manufacturing. As research on the potential health impacts of nanoplastics grows, so does the need for policies that address their infiltration into everyday life and their uncharted effects on human health.

As Dr. Kenner noted, “At a time when antibiotic resistance is becoming an ever greater threat worldwide, such interactions must be taken into account.”

Addressing plastic pollution, especially at the micro and nano levels, may become as crucial to public health as combating emissions or limiting pesticide use. For the sake of public health, reducing nanoplastic exposure could become an essential component of future healthcare strategies in a world grappling with rising antibiotic resistance.

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