Lab 'Accident' Becomes Mutant Enzyme That Devours Plastic

[RAnDOOm]

Could an end to plastic pollution be in sight ?

Scientists have inadvertently created a mutant enzyme capable of breaking down common waste plastics.

In a breakthrough that could prove invaluable in the battle against ocean pollution, scientists studying a type of plastic-eating bacterium found in Japan have managed to produce an enzyme that has proven enormously effective at breaking down PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic.

The achievement was entirely accidental as the team had only tweaked the enzyme in order to learn more about how it had evolved, not to deliberately improve its effectiveness.

"What actually turned out was we improved the enzyme, which was a bit of a shock," said study leader Professor John McGeehan of the University of Portsmouth. "It's great and a real finding."

Remarkably, the new enzyme starts to break down plastic within a matter of days.

"What we are hoping to do is use this enzyme to turn this plastic back into its original components, so we can literally recycle it back to plastic," said McGeehan.

"It means we won't need to dig up any more oil and, fundamentally, it should reduce the amount of plastic in the environment."

Full article here: https://www.livescience.com/62328-plastic-eating-enzyme.html

[Ensign_Steel]

Would be cool if this would turn out to be a solution for the problem with microplastics in our waters.

[RAnDOOm]

8 minutes ago, Ensign_Steel said:

Would be cool if this would turn out to be a solution for the problem with microplastics in our waters.

Indeed. If this actually goes forward, it could be live changing for the whole planet.

91% of all the plastic in the world is not recycled..... Its already out of control....

 

[Ensign_Steel]

First thorium reactors, now enzymes eating plastics.

You know, humans as a species just might make it, unless all bees go extinct.

Edited April 18, 2018 by Ensign_Steel