Table 2.

Growth curve parameters of fitted Gompertz models of donor, recipients, and transconjugants, with µ_max (maximum growth rate), λ (lag phase), Y₀ (initial concentration), Y_End (final concentration), and the regression coefficient R² as a measure of goodness-of-fit. Parameters were compared using a one-way ANOVA and the Tukey post-hoc test with α = 0.05. Groups that differ significantly for each fitted parameter are denoted by different superscripts.

Strains	µmax	λ	Y0	YEnd	R2
Donor
ESBL E. coli	0.167 ± 0.017A	3.801 ± 0.405D	− 0.040 ± 0.044C	1.013 ± 0.144A	0.994 ± 0.006
Raised rifR recipients
S. Infantis rifR C5	0.140 ± 0.034ABC	6.690 ± 0.261BC	− 0.002 ± 0.005ABC	0.625 ± 0.050C	0.979 ± 0.012
S. London rifR C8	0.082 ± 0.010CD	6.024 ± 0.321C	− 0.006 ± 0.006ABC	0.586 ± 0.113C	0.988 ± 0.005
S. Enteriditis rifR C2	0.110 ± 0.014ABCD	6.895 ± 0.208BC	− 0.005 ± 0.009ABC	0.897 ± 0.221AB	0.994 ± 0.002
S. Infantis Transconjugants
Conjugation with 0 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.155 ± 0.061AB	8.318 ± 0.977B	− 0.006 ± 0.027ABC	0.581 ± 0.084C	0.962 ± 0.032
Conjugation with 0.25 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.166 ± 0.073A	7.936 ± 0.462B	0.008 ± 0.013A	0.581 ± 0.082C	0.976 ± 0.012
Conjugation with 1 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.106 ± 0.071BCD	6.590 ± 2.008BC	− 0.025 ± 0.030ABC	0.590 ± 0.194C	0.913 ± 0.068
S. London Transconjugants
Conjugation with 0 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.080 ± 0.004D	5.641 ± 0.549CD	− 0.037 ± 0.029BC	0.530 ± 0.168C	0.978 ± 0.010
Conjugation with 0.25 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.082 ± 0.007CD	5.975 ± 0.520C	− 0.024 ± 0.029ABC	0.554 ± 0.216C	0.980 ± 0.011
Conjugation with 1 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.071 ± 0.007D	5.8 56 ± 0.537C	− 0.027 ± 0.027ABC	0.643 ± 0.232C	0.983 ± 0.008
S. Enteriditis Transconjugants
Conjugation with 0 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.114 ± 0.026ABCD	11.356 ± 1.486A	0.011 ± 0.006A	0.727 ± 0.115BC	0.996 ± 0.002
Conjugation with 0.25 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.114 ± 0.024ABCD	11.045 ± 2.474A	0.007 ± 0.021A	0.728 ± 0.100BC	0.993 ± 0.006
Conjugation with 1 mM Zn(NO3)2	0.124 ± 0.025ABCD	10.921 ± 1.699A	0.000 ± 0.037AB	0.752 ± 0.117BC	0.993 ± 0.008