Protecting families from contaminated food and water
All fields are required
Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in E. coli,Our Blog on June 17, 2026
A recent study discovers that in addition to the harm nanoplastics cause to human health, they can even improve the virulence of certain bacteria. Making them even more dangerous.
Talk about a double whammy!
What are nanoplastics? How are they harmful to us? Why are they beneficial to harmful microbes.
Follow along to answers to these questions, and more!
We can all recognize plastics. They come in many different textures and are used for countless applications. Plastic is a mainstream material. For better or worse.
Microplastics are smaller pieces of larger plastic. Generally measuring less than five millimeters in size. The size of a pencil eraser or smaller.
They are a product of plastic degradation. When plastics go to landfills or other dump sites (about 72% of most plastic produced globally) sunlight, wind, and/or wave exposure break this material down into smaller and smaller pieces.
But what about nanoplastics?
Nanoplastics are tiny pieces of plastics. Generally measuring less than 1 micrometer. To put that into perspective, 1 micrometer is 1/1000 of a millimeter. If you can’t visualize that size, you are not alone.
Because of their microscopic size, nanoplastics pose unique problems. They generally have a large surface area compared to their size, are basically invisible, and are reactive to things in their environment.
They have been found in rivers, oceans, the Alps, and even in Antarctic ice. We have recently discovered these plastic poisons in food, as well as bottled and tap water. A topic for another blog post.
Even more troubling, they have been found in the bodies of humans and animals. They can be taken up by plant roots and disperse inside the foods we eat, the materials we use for industry, and our living spaces. They can even accumulate on bacteria.
Yes. I said ON bacteria. That is how small they are!
Scientists are actively studying the impacts of microplastic within the human body and finding links to infertility, cancer, and other health conditions.
But their impact goes even further than obvious health concerns.
Scientists have discovered that nanoplastics even impact E. coli bacteria. In both a good and a bad way. Unfortunately, there appears to be an overall benefit to these bacteria than the perceived threat to them.
When exposed to these microscopic materials, E. coli multiplied at a slower rate. Thus, reducing the viral load.
Biofilm formation was another observed impact on the germ.
Biofilms are formed as protective structures containing a matrix of other substances and organisms in a symbiotic layer. Biofilms feed bacteria, facility genetic sharing, and prevent disinfection.
Nanoplastics appear to disrupt biofilms, leaving E. coli more vulnerable to decontamination efforts.
However, the negative impacts of this tiny trash do not outweigh the overall positive benefits these bad bugs gain from this material. In fact, the stress caused by this concept makes them even stronger.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
In the case of the nanoplastic impact on E. coli bacteria, this couldn’t be truer. In fact, it is the subject of a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign study.
The study, “Nanoplastics-mediated physiologic and genomic responses in pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7” that was published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology explores this dynamic.
Scientists observed a negative charge on nanoplastic material. Though depending on the material and chemicals the materials are exposed to, the amount of charge may vary. However, opposing charges appear to be the source of their impact.
Scientists discovered that the positively charged surface of these material cause “physiological stress” in the observed E. coli serotype. This is because the bacteria hold an overall negative surface charge. When the two meet, the bacteria react.
But how did they test this theory?
To test this theory, once the positive charge of nanoplastic material was discovered, scientists applied different charges to E. coli bacteria to discover their impact.
The results were about what they expected.
Scientists exposed E. coli bacteria to three differently charged particles. Positive, negative, and neutral.
The greatest impact was found when bacteria were exposed to positively charged particles.
Bingo!
But why is this important?
All of this to say that the stress caused by these nanoplastic contaminants and their opposing charge generate a reactive response in these bacteria.
When stressed, toxin-producing bacteria like E. coli O157:H7 produce more toxins. In this case, Shiga-toxin. A toxin associated with severe illness, complications, and risk of death in those who are infected.
This can seriously impact a person infected with an E. coli-containing food also contaminated with nanoplastic materials.
Study authors compare this concept to a stressed dog. A stressed dog is more likely to bite. A stressed toxin-producing bacteria is more likely to generate a bite of its own. It will pump out more toxins.
Common E. coli symptoms include diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps. There is usually little or no fever present, and in some cases an infected individual may experience no symptoms at all. Most of the time illness is resolved in five to ten days and a normally healthy individual often recovers without the need for medical intervention.
But unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Certain higher risk groups are more likely to become infected with E. coli bacteria if exposed and experience more serious symptoms if infected. Those under five years of age and the elderly are most susceptible to these factors. These individuals are more likely to experience a serious and life-threatening complication known as HUS. A complication caused by E. coli toxins.
This is where illness gets scary!
Most cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome in the U.S. are caused by E. coli infections.
During infection, sometimes the bacteria leave the digestive system and enter other parts of the body. When in the blood stream, E. coli destroys red blood cells, which clog the filtering tubes in the kidneys. Around 2% to 7% of all E. coli infections lead to this hemolytic uremic syndrome complication.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome ranks as the most common cause of acute kidney failure in children.
About a third of those with hemolytic uremic syndrome have abnormal kidney functions for many years later. Some may require long-term dialysis.
Another 8% of those who develop hemolytic uremic syndrome will experience other life-long complications such as high blood pressure, blindness, seizures, paralysis, and the effects of having part of their bowel removed.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. More research is needed to better understand the impacts of nanoplastic materials on plants, humans, and even microbes. Especially when an unknowing cocktail of bacterial and nanoplastic contamination spell out a deadly outcome.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “Study Finds Nanoplastics Not Only Cause Harm to Human Health, But Strengthen Bacterial Impact,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)