The study conducted by Jia et al. expands on the information presented by Cai et al., further emphasizing the use of QCNPs for antibacterial applications . As previously mentioned, the positive charge on the quaternary ammonium salt of chitosan results in bacterial cell death when interacting with the negatively charged cell walls of bacteria. The quaternized ammonium salts of chitosan were tested on E. coli bacteria, and higher degrees of substitution within the chitosan molecules resulted in more evident antibacterial effects. Therefore, the properties of QCSNPs allow for the NPs to be used as carriers for drugs for specifically targeted cancerous or infected cells . Since the NPs would have a stronger bond to the negatively charged cell walls, this could prolong the residency time within the problematic cells while simultaneously reducing the impact on healthy cells.