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June 2021 / 13 were found in concentrations up to 30 times greater on the microplas- tics than during control tests using sand biofilms. The researchers plan to continue studying the bacteria and pathogens to determine if and how they may be bypassing water treatment and also how to remove them from aquatic environments. The research "Microplastics As Hubs Enriching Antibiotic- resistant Bacteria and Pathogens in Municipal Activated Sludge" was published in the Journal of Hazard- ous Materials Letters. The research was partially supported by the US Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation. microplastics. The researchers took batches of sludge samples from three domestic wastewater treat- ment plants in northern New Jersey. They then inoculated the samples with two widespread commer- cial microplastics, polyethylene and polystyrene, in a lab. Once the bacteria had a chance to grow, the researchers used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and next-generation sequencing techniques to identify the species of bacteria that tend to grow on the microplastics. The researchers found that three genes in particular, sul1 and sul2 (also called sulfon- amides) and intI1 (a mobile genetic element that allows the exchange of antibiotic-resistant genes among the microplastic-bound microbes), were present. After 3 days, these genes waste products, and synthetic tex- tiles. The small particles are also now found in water, air, and food because of the widespread use of plastics. According to correspond- ing study author Mengyan Li, associate professor of chemistry and environmental science at NJIT, the role of microplastics in waste- water treatment wasn't known until this study was done. Li says, "These wastewater treatment plants can be hotspots where various chemicals, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and pathogens converge and what our study shows is that microplastics can serve as their carriers, posing imminent risks to aquatic biota and human health if they bypass the water treatment process." Unfortunately, most water treatment plants don't remove TO ARREST FLAMES ISOLATION SYSTEMS MILLISECONDS CVTECHNOLOGY.COM Whether active or passive all isolation systems are located in ductwork to stop deflagrations as they travel from vessels where an explosion initiates. Visit our website to learn more about our explosion isolation devices. Contact our team of multi-disciplined engineers to schedule a demo, consultation, or walk-through visit.