technique which has begun to be used in the 21st century to prevent transmission of bacteria. Silver nanoparticles have also begun to be incorporated into building surfaces and fabrics, although concerns have been raised about the potential side-effects of the tiny particles on human health. See also Microbial biogeography Microbial loop Outline of ecology International Society for Microbial Ecology The ISME Journal References Microbiology terms Bacteria Bacteriology Environmental soil science Membrane biology Biological matter Environmental microbiology Microbial population biology Subfields of ecology