Silver nanoparticles that leak from water filters could alter the community of bacteria in the human gut, according to a new study. Silver nanoparticles are meant to kill harmful bacteria in portable water filters, but if they leak into drinking water they could also kill beneficial bacteria in our digestive systems.
A simulated gut bacterial community – known as rePOOPulate – exposed to silver nanoparticles at high concentrations (200 parts per million) produced significantly less gas, indicating lower activity. But even at lower concentrations (25 ppm) the composition of the community changed, as some bacteria were more sensitive to the silver than others.
While the consequences of such changes for human health are still unknown, the researchers call for more research on the environmental consequences of leaking silver nanoparticles.
Original research paper published in Journal of Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology on October 18, 2014.
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