aAntibacterial effect of gentamicin (1), gentamicin + gold NPs (2), redissolved sediments (3, 4), the solvent (2 mM K2CO3) (5), a solution of gold NPs (6), and the supernatant liquids from both preparations (7, 8) on the growth ofE. coliK12.bA diagram showing the coincidence of the average inhibition-zone diameters for free gentamicin (1), its mixture with NPs (2), and the supernatant liquids from these preparation (7, 8), respectively