Qi601™ Research: Barrier Protection and Binding of Microplastics and Nanoplastics

Overview
Qi601 is a patented, novel, orally administered, non-living probiotic derived from an inactivated Lactobacillus fermentum (Qi6) is a probiotic strain cultivated under biofilm-promoting conditions to form self-aggregating, high-surface-area macrostructures (~200 µm in diameter). Qi6 is designated Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the FDA (GRN No. 0988), and Qi601 functions as a “Biofilm Shield™” in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, binding microplastics (10 µm) and nanoplastics (100 nm).  In laboratory tissue experiments, Qi601 binds micro and nanoplastics to prevent their interaction with colonic, intestinal epithelial cells, CaCO2 cells. Qi601 is large with an average sizes of 200 microns, and this biofilm sized particle is non-absorbable, enhancing its safety and efficacy as a physical barrier for gut-level plastic sequestration.

Key Research Findings

Microplastic and Nanoplastic Binding

• Qi601 in laboratory testing on human epithelial cell cultures, 83% of nanoplastics were prevented from binding to human epithelial cells and
  got rid of it.
• In Vitro Evidence: Fluorescence microscopy demonstrates that Qi601 aggregates preferentially bind fluorescent microplastic (10 µm) and nanoplastic (100 nm) particles on microscope slides and in test tubes. Areas lacking Qi601 show no fluorescent signal, indicating high binding specificity.
• Dose-Dependent Adsorption: In test tube experiments, Qi601 adsorbed up to 87.6% of 100 nm nanoplastics at 3–4 mg concentrations, with adsorption stabilizing at higher doses due to saturation.
• Structural Advantage: The biofilm-like, 200 µm aggregates provide a high-surface-area matrix, enabling efficient capture of plastic contaminants.
• Tissue Culture Model: In CaCO₂ human colonic epithelial cell cultures, Qi601 reduced microplastic adherence by 83% compared to untreated controls. Nanoplastics showed similar sequestration, with minimal epithelial attachment in experimental tissue couture plates when Qi601 was present.

• Qi601™ reduced microplastic adherence to human intestinal cells by 83% compared to untreated controls.
• It demonstrated 99% binding efficacy in simulated gastric conditions.
• Early animal models using C. elegans worms showed plastics flushed from the gut, with evidence of extracting nanoplastics even from intestinal cells.

Implications
Research indicates that Qi601 potentially offers a bio-inspired, non-systemic strategy to mitigate microplastic and nanoplastic exposure in the GI tract. With Qi601 binding contaminants as demonstrated in laboratory tissue culture plates, it reduces their interaction with epithelial cells, potentially lowering plastic absorption.  Its GRAS status and scalable production make it a promising solution for addressing the growing environmental threat of plastic pollution.

The image above is a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) visualization showing Qi601 positioned on the surface of human intestinal cells (red). The Qi601 biofilm (blue) binds free-floating 100-nanometer plastic spheres (green), effectively capturing and removing them from the cellular environment—functioning as a detox-like binding agent rather than being absorbed by the cells.

Conclusion
Qi601 leverages its biofilm-like structure to act as an effective, safe, “Biofilm Shield™” for binding micro- and nanoplastics in the GI tract. In vitro and tissue culture studies provide robust evidence of its protective capabilities, positioning Qi601 as a novel and patented nutritional supplement.

How real is the performance of Qi601 under conditions that mimic real digestion in people? To answer this question, Quorum Innovations conducted studies using human simulated gastric fluids—an acidic pH with digestive enzymes under both fasted and fed states. Qi601 biofilm aggregates retained the activity and presumably retained their structural integrity by sequestering up to 99% of introduced nanoparticles in human digestive environment. The supernatants of the samples with and without Qi601 were measured by spectrophotometry. Once bound, plastic nanoparticles remained attached to Qi601 in the human gastric fluid environment, demonstrating a real-world, plausible pathway in which Qi601 binds plastics before they can reach or interact with the gut lining. This activity demonstrates the Qi601 can effectively bind the nanoplastic particles right from the beginning and from where the exposure to nanoplastics starts – in the digestive fluid. Qi601 retains its binding capabilities even in stomach acid, holding onto the captured plastics so that they can safely pass out of the body.