New Delhi, Dec 4 || Nanoplastics derived from single-use PET bottles can directly disrupt key biological systems that are vital for human health, according to a study led by the Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali (INST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), on Thursday.
Nanoplastics, found in food and water, are a global concern and are increasingly being detected inside the human body. But their exact effects remain poorly understood.
While many studies had focused on how plastics pollute the environment or damage host tissues, almost nothing was known about their direct impact on beneficial gut microbes that are central to human health.
The team led by Prashant Sharma and Sakshi Dagariya from the Chemical Biology Unit at INST found the first clear evidence of profound consequences to human health.
The researchers found that long-term exposure reduced bacterial growth, colonisation, and protective functions, while increasing stress responses and sensitivity to antibiotics.