The fight against plastic pollution is crucial for the protection of natural resources and mitigating the climate crisis. Developing environmentally friendly solutions and reducing the use of plastic in everyday life are necessary steps to preserve the planet, and scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have contributed to these efforts.
They have designed so-called “living plastic” that self-destructs when it begins to erode. This innovative material decomposes in compost in one month, compared to the 55 days required for traditional plastic.
The technology is inspired by enzymes produced by bacteria discovered in Japan in 2016, which naturally break down plastic, reports Science Alert.
Researchers have successfully embedded bacterial spores into the structure of polycaprolactone (PCL) plastic. As the plastic erodes, the spores begin to release enzymes that almost completely break down the plastic molecules.
More:
- Why Recycling Is Not Enough to Fight Plastic
- How an Innovative Liquid Removes 98 Percent of Nanoplastics from Water
- More Bioplastics for Less Microplastics
By combining with lipase produced from the yeast Candida antarctica, the plastic degradation process was accelerated to just one week. Tests showed that the spores survive the high temperatures and pressures required for creating various types of plastic, including PET plastic.
The study by Chinese scientists was published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, and their discovery provides hope for future sustainable materials that will reduce the problem of plastic pollution.
Although the use of biodegradable plastic and bioplastic is increasing today, they still represent a negligible portion of global plastic production. For example, bioplastic, which is made from renewable resources such as corn, sugarcane, or cellulose, currently accounts for only about one percent of the total 367 million tons of plastic produced worldwide each year, according to data from the European Bioplastics organization.
Energy Portal
