New enzyme breaks down plastic in hours and enables high-quality recycling

[FfFfFfFF 58,113]

Scientists have created a mutant bacterial enzyme that not only breaks down plastic bottles in hours, but the leftover material is good enough to be recycled into high-quality new bottles.

Existing technology only produces recycled plastic that can be used for certain items, like sweaters, sleeping bags, jacket insulation and even carpets.

However, the optimized enzyme – that was first discovered in a compost heap of leaves eight years ago – was able to reduce the plastic bottles to simple chemical elements that can be efficiently reprocessed into new, food-grade plastic.

“We tested all the enzymes described from scientific literature and screened thousands of microorganisms from PET polluted environments. Enzyme LCC, described in a publication in 2012, appeared to be a good starting point to optimize the performance in terms of thermostability and activity.”

“This new process can depolymerize any kind of PET – transparent, colored, opaque, amorphous as well as crystalline, fibers – into any kind of PET product. We did not see any inhibition of the enzyme by colorants, pigments, isophthalic acid, carbon black, titanium dioxide, other polymers,” Marty said.

The Saint-Beauzire based team also managed to make the process stable at 72°C (161.6°F), close to the perfect temperature for fast degradation. They used the modified enzyme to break down a tonne of waste plastic bottles, which were 90% degraded within 10 hours.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottsnowden/2020/04/11/new-enzyme-breaks-down-plastic-in-hours/#1ff35fee5e4e

[Cuntalicious 477]

Wow, that's amazing! 

I still think they should deal with the root of the problem, which is the production and use of plastic packaging. But this is a great step forward!

[berlinforme 5,385]

2 minutes ago, Cuntalicious said:

Wow, that's amazing! 

I still think they should deal with the root of the problem, which is the production and use of plastic packaging. But this is a great step forward!

It's just as it is with CO2 compensation - reduce as much as possible and then compensate the rest. 

What I'm wondering is if people have to look out not to carry those enzymes out of recycling facilities? Like, would it be bad for plastic used in daily life or does it only work at 70+ degrees anyway?

[Lord Temptation 11,209]

What about the long-term side effects, have they been studied yet? 

[Notorious Bean 8,531]

That’s amazing!! 

[LaMaisonGaga 23,884]

yesssss!  

[Sestri Levante 1,124]

Amazing  I'll talk about this on my next genetic engineering class just to stop hearing COVID stuff. We deserve good news at this point 

[Economy 52,844]

Another long term blow to the oil market 

[LeJudas 6,490]

48 minutes ago, Lord Temptation said:

What about the long-term side effects, have they been studied yet? 

Eventually when it makes way into our Tupperware we will eat the (dormant) bacteria then once in our stomachs it will activate and allow us to eat and digest plastic.

Therefore allowing us to simply eat our plastic instead of throwing it away. 

[Lord Temptation 11,209]

1 hour ago, LeJudas said:

Eventually when it makes way into our Tupperware we will eat the (dormant) bacteria then once in our stomachs it will activate and allow us to eat and digest plastic.

Therefore allowing us to simply eat our plastic instead of throwing it away. 

One second the plastic doll is us, then suddenly we are the plastic doll