Thi Huyen Nguyen

The increased use of disinfection products, particularly hand sanitizers containing triclosan, has raised significant environmental concerns, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in microorganisms. This study compares the effectiveness of ozone solutions and micro‐nano bubbles (MNB) solutions in addressing AMR. The findings indicate that MNB, particularly due to its stable generation of hydroxyl radicals (HO•), achieved significantly higher bacterial disinfection rates, with over 95% of bacteria killed after only 3 h. This suggests that MNB could be a potent alternative for efficient bacterial inactivation in water treatment systems. Additionally, ozone solutions have been found to be more effective in reducing antimicrobial‐resistance genes presence, particularly at optimized concentrations (50% ozone, 2.5 mg/L). This targeted control over antimicrobial‐resistance genes represents an innovation in managing antibiotic resistance in environmental waters, indicating that ozone at specific concentrations could reduce antimicrobial‐resistance gene proliferation. Moreover, MNB solutions show little to no adverse effect on bacterial DNA structure, even at high concentrations. The combination of these two advanced oxidation treatments offers a promising perspective for disinfection technology, aiming for maximum antimicrobial‐resistance genes inactivation with minimal side effects, thereby exemplifying a more refined approach to ozone‐based disinfection.

The use of triclosan (TCS) in hygiene products and other materials raises concerns about increased antimicrobial resistance. Research has shown that bacteria can develop resistance to TCS, but there is limited understanding of how bacterial behavior changes after TCS is removed. This study focuses on how bacteria adapt to prolonged TCS exposure and recover after its removal. It aims to improve practices for using antimicrobial agents in sanitation products and emphasize the importance of understanding exposure and recovery times to prevent resistance development. The study evaluated the bacterial behavior, determining the minimum inhibition concentration of TCS that 90% of Escherichia coli was inhibited (MIC90), predicting bacterial growth kinetics using the Modified Gompertz model and membrane permeability recovery. Bacteria showed a significant increase in resistance levels during exposure, with the MIC90 steadily increasing over 30 days and peaking at 16 mg/L. Upon removal, there was a notable 2-fold decrease in resistance after 10 days of reculturing in a non-chemical medium, likely due to restructuring changes in cell membranes. Therefore, in addition to reducing the occurrence of antibacterial agents in the environment, advanced treatments for eliminating antibacterial resistance should be performed on wastewater before being discharged into the environment.

Background: Nano-particles of metals can be routinely synthesized. The cereal seeds treatment with the particles can improve early growth and crop production. Moreover, the treatment is robust and economical. Methods: Metal (Fe⁰, Cu⁰, Co⁰), zinc oxide (ZnO) and chitosan-stabilized silver nano-particles were synthesized and applied to cereal seeds. The germination rate, early plant development and inhibition effects on pathogenic fungi were quantified. Results: It was found that all nano-particles had a positive effect on the development of healthy cereal seedlings. In particular, the length of the above-ground part of the seedlings was increased by 8–22%. The highest inhibition effect was observed on Helminthosporium teres with the application of Co⁰ and chitosan-Ag. Pre-sowing treatment with metal nano-particles reduced the number of infected grains by two times for wheat and 3.6 times for barley. The application also increases the chlorophylls and carotenoids in both uninfected and infected seedlings. Conclusions: The results demonstrated a robust application of nano-particles in improving cereal production. Graphical