The virus survives in fresh water by attaching to plastic particles

Viruses can attach to microplastics and that allows them to live longer.

Intestinal viruses that cause diarrhea and stomach disorders, such as rotavirus, persist in freshwater environments by attaching to microplastics, small particles less than 5 mm long. Researchers from the UK's University of Stirling found they are still infectious, posing a potential risk to human health.

Professor Richard Quilliam, lead researcher on the project at the University of Stirling, said: 'We found that viruses can attach to microplastics and that allows them to survive in water for up to three days or have them. maybe longer.'

The team also said it is uncertain how well the virus can survive by attaching to plastic particles in the environment, but they persist and still have the ability to infect.

The scientists looked at how plastics transport bacteria and viruses before concluding that microplastics allow the transmission of pathogens in the environment.

According to Mr. Quilliam, wastewater treatment plants cannot capture microplastics. 'Even when a wastewater treatment plant is doing everything it can to clean up the waste, the wastewater still has microplastics in it, which are then washed into the river and washed to the beach'.

These plastic particles are so small that humans can swallow them. While the impact of microplastics on human health remains uncertain, 'if those microplastics are colonized by human pathogens, it could also represent a significant health risk'. , Mr. Quiliam said.

The researchers tested two enveloped viruses, "a lipid coat," such as influenza virus, and non-enveloped ones, such as enterovirus rota and noro. They found that in enveloped viruses, the envelope quickly dissipated and the virus died, while those without the envelope successfully adhered to the microplastic and survived.

'Viruses can also attach to natural surfaces in the environment,' says Mr Quilliam, 'but plastic lasts a lot longer than other materials'.