Microplastics are common and consist of tiny pieces of plastic that are 5 millimeters (mm) or less. Recent study results, which have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal yet, show that how microplastics may impact bacteria in the human gut.
Research from the project microONE, led and coordinated by teams from CBmed GmbH in Graz, Austria used human stool samples to create bioreactive cultures that researchers then exposed to microplastics. The human gut microbiome includes the microorganisms in the gut, as well as their environment. The bacteria in the human gut may impact multiple health conditions.
The current research sought to explore how microplastics impacted the makeup of gut bacteria, focusing on the possibly cancerous effects of microplastics interacting with the microbiome.
Researchers created cultures using human stool samples from healthy individuals. They kept the cultures under specific conditions for 5 days.
They exposed the cultures to five types of microplastics that are all quite common, at levels that matched what is typical for people and at higher levels. The microplastics in question were polystyrene, polypropylene, low-density polyethylene, poly(methyl methacrylate), and polyethylene terephthalate.
The research examined components like overall bacterial counts and the pH of the cultures. Researchers observed that the cultures they exposed to microplastics had a lower pH than cultures without exposure.
A lower pH indicates something is more acidic. The authors note that the lowered pH suggests changes to the bacteria’s metabolic activity, referring toTrusted Source differences in the chemical changes occurring to produce energy and other basic components. They also noted that changes to fecal pH are linked to a number of gastrointestinal diseases.
Researchers also found changes in microbial composition that depended on the type of microplastic exposure. Certain types of bacteria either increased or decreased based on the type of microplastic exposure. Most changes occurred in a specific phylum of bacteria called Bacillota.
