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Charged nanoplastics differentially affect the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes
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Researchers found that nanoplastics influence the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria, with surface charge and concentration driving opposing effects — reactive oxygen species promoted transfer while nanoplastic agglomeration inhibited it.
The transfer of antibiotic resistance genes was influenced by the concentration and surface charge of nanoplastics. This was due to a combination of the promotion effect of ROS and the inhibition caused by nanoplastic agglomeration.
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