Microplastics from take away food are worsening antibiotic resistance crisis says study
Photo by Oliur on Unsplash The styrofoam container that you gladly use to take out food is contributing to rising antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance develops when microorganisms like bacteria and fungi develop the potential to overthrow the drugs that are meant to kill them. The recent research carried out by Rice University scientists has shown that styrofoam supports antibiotic resistance in bacteria and provides a suitable environment for their further growth. How Does Styrofoam Add To Antibiotic Resistance? Styrofoam is a special type of styrene polymer used for making food containers. When it is discarded, it’s broken down into microplastics (small plastic pieces in the environment resulting from the degradation of consumer products) that provide a comfortable environment not only for the microbes and chemical impurities but in addition to the free-floating genetic supplies that transfer the ability of resistance to the microbes, researchers say. A paper published in