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Charged nanoplastics differentially affect the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes
Summary
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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