This is the 4570th most frequent Portuguese word.
contamina
"Contamina" means "contaminates" or "pollutes."
Here, 'contamina' refers to the act of pollution harming and making natural water bodies impure.
A poluição contamina rios e oceanos.
Pollution contaminates rivers and oceans.
In this context, 'contamina' is used to describe harmful bacteria rendering food unsafe to consume.
Uma bactéria contamina alimentos deixados fora da geladeira.
A bacterium contaminates food left out of the refrigerator.
Here, 'contamina' metaphorically applies to false information affecting and altering people's perspectives negatively.