Microplastics in household dust could promote antibiotic resistance
Polyester and nylon seem to be common sources
PLASTICS ARE man-made materials that are unnatural to this world, but that does not stop the natural world from interacting with them. Indeed, dozens of studies show that when plastics get into the sea many ocean-dwelling microorganisms aggressively colonise them. This might help break plastics down, but these oceanic colonies are also hotbeds of antibiotic-resistant genes. Now, it seems, something similar might be going on in the dark recesses of your home.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Perilous plastic”
Science & technology November 13th 2021
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- Are climate goals set in 2015 dead or alive?
- Microplastics in household dust could promote antibiotic resistance
- Researchers have found a way to grow better blackcurrants using probiotics
- New antiviral drugs mark a big turning point in the covid-19 pandemic
From the November 13th 2021 edition
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