Nanoplastics in drinking water may pose more than one health concern, according to new research highlighted by ScienceDaily. A Virginia Tech-led team found that these tiny plastic particles can interact with microbes in ways that may make harmful bacteria harder to manage.
The study, published in Water Research, examined how nanoplastics affect biofilms in drinking water systems. Biofilms are communities of bacteria that cling to surfaces such as the inside of pipes and form a protective layer around themselves.
Researchers looked at a biofilm made up of E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. When exposed to nanoplastics, the biofilm became stronger and more resistant to disinfectants, raising concerns about water treatment and distribution systems, according to the researchers.
Jingqiu Liao of Virginia Tech said the interaction between nanoplastics, bacteria and bacteriophages could have public health implications. The researchers said more study is needed to understand the molecular processes behind these responses and how different particle sizes may affect microbial interactions.
