3 ms·

I didn't quite get this part either - > The membranes repel positively or negatively charged particles — including salt molecules, bacteria, and viruses ... A

by eps 4y ago

I didn't quite get this part either - > The membranes repel positively or negatively charged particles — including salt molecules, bacteria, and viruses ... Are bacteria and viruses indeed electrically charged? This sounds strange.

beanjuice 4y ago
Yes [0], "Bacterial cell surfaces possess net negative electrostatic charge by virtue of ionized phosphoryl and carboxylate substituents on outer cell envelope macromolecules which are exposed to the extracellular environment." [0] https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-7012(00)00224-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-7012(00)00224-4