From Foodborne Pollutant Carrier to Gastrointestinal Trojan Horse: Simulating the Bioaccessibility of Antibiotics Loaded on Aged Polylactic Acid Microplastics in Human Digestive System

TL;DR

Aged polylactic acid microplastics may act as carriers for antibiotics in the human gut, releasing them during digestion.

Contribution

The study introduces a mechanistic framework to assess how aged microplastics transport and release antibiotics in the digestive system.

Findings

Aging polylactic acid microplastics increases their antibiotic adsorption capacity.

Intestinal conditions significantly enhance antibiotic release compared to gastric conditions.

Aged microplastics can act as 'Trojan horses' for foodborne antibiotics during digestion.

Abstract

Foodborne microplastics (MPs) are suspected carriers of co-ingested food contaminants, yet their digestive fate remains poorly characterized. This study simulates the role of environmentally aged polylactic acid (PLA) MPs—a common food-contact material—in transporting the antibiotic tetracycline (TC) through the human gastrointestinal tract. K2S2O8-induced aging significantly increased PLA surface porosity, oxygen-containing groups, and hydrophilicity, elevating TC adsorption capacity from 0.54 to 0.95 mg/g. While adsorption kinetics were consistent with pseudo-second-order behavior, mechanistic analysis indicates that aging promotes interactions dominated by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic forces, rather than purely physical deposition. Critically, in vitro digestion models revealed that simulated intestinal fluid significantly enhances TC release (up to 62.7% of adsorbed load) compared to gastric conditions. Sequential gastrointestinal simulation yielded a bioaccessibility of 32.6%, indicating substantial digestive mobilization of MP-bound antibiotics. These findings underscore the potential of aged PLA MPs to act as digestive-stage “Trojan horses” for foodborne antibiotics. Our integrated approach—combining controlled aging, adsorption thermodynamics, and physiologically relevant digestion models—provides a mechanistic screening framework for assessing the bioaccessibility and exposure potential of microplastic-vectored contaminants in food safety contexts.

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