Microplastics and nanoplastics They are everywhere. Only in the human body have they been found in places such as the brain, digestive system, lungs and even breast milk. And also in such unexpected places as the first stool of newborns. Therefore, since we know that our body contains a significant amount of these tiny plastic particles, discovering that they can interfere with the work effectiveness of antibiotics.
antibiotic resistance has become a serious public health problem. More and more bacteria are emerging that can survive the effects of these drugs, so an infection that until recently was perfectly treatable can become fatal. Add to this the fact that nanoplastics interfere with the absorption capacity of antibiotics, and the future looks scary.
There is a positive side to all this and it is a fact that they realized it. When we discover a problem, no matter how serious, at least we have the information to find solutions. This should be the next step after the discovery of a group of scientists from Medical University of Vienna, University of Debrecen and University of Bonn. They are the ones in the article published in Natureraised the alarm.
What is nanoplastics?
Nanoplastics are plastic particles ranging in size from from 1 to 100 nanometers. That is, between 0’0000001 and 0.00001 centimeters.
They arise due to deterioration large pieces of plastic. In particular, it has been observed that they are usually formed from fibers nylon clothing. These, whether due to abrasion, temperature changes or cleaning agents, can be released and reach us in different ways. They can be ingested, inhaled, or even transmitted through the skin.
They come from any type of plastic, although this antibiotic study looked at the effects of four of them: polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and nylon 6.6.
What do they have to do with antibiotics?
This study was conducted using chemical computer modeling. There are computer programs based on artificial intelligence that can reproduce the behavior of molecules as they would occur in a real environment.
In this case, it was seen that the nanoparticles adhered to tetracycline antibiotic, forming aggregates that cannot be absorbed by the body. Only this antibiotic has been tried, but the same is expected to happen with others.
They chose this one because it broad spectrum antibioticwhich is used to treat a variety of infections.
How does nanoplastic help bacteria?
It is well known that overuse of antibiotics can cause bacteria to become resistant to them. Generally speaking, this happens because antibiotics gradually select out those bacteria that due to mutationsthey have the ability to resist them.
Let’s imagine that we expose a colony of bacteria to an antibiotic and that, thanks to random mutations, some of them are able to resist it. Almost everyone else will die, so many of the next generation of bacteria will have a mutation that gives them resistance. They are the only ones who were able to reproduce. This way, almost no one will die if the antibiotic is given again. With every course of antibiotics the risk will be even greater.
Therefore, antibiotics should only be used when absolutely necessary. If antibiotics stick to nanoplastics and cannot be fully used, They accumulate in the body. They remain there as a sample, so that the bacteria little by little multiply and acquire the ability to resist it.
Over time, we will have superbugs that this antibiotic won’t even tickle. there are already a lot of them antibiotic resistance. Nanoplastics would only complicate the situation. Therefore, we have another reason to look for ways to reduce the release of nanoplastics into the environment, as well as change the materials used to make everyday products, such as the clothes we wear. Those who don’t look beyond their navel and don’t care about the environment would do well to remember that our health depends on it.
Source: Hiper Textual
