Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution problems, scientists hope

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-10-05 20:02:46 | Updated at 2024-10-05 22:50:16 2 hours ago

Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution problems, scientists hope
msn ^

Posted on 10/05/2024 12:52:04 PM PDT by algore

Scientists discovered that bacteria commonly found in wastewater can break down plastic to turn it into a food source, a finding that researchers hope could be a promising answer to combat one of Earth’s major pollution problems.

In a study published Thursday in Environmental Science and Technology, scientists laid out their examination of Comamonas testosteroni, a bacteria that grows on polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, a plastic commonly found in single-use food packaging and water bottles. PET makes up about 12 percent of global solid waste and 90 million tons of the plastic produced each year.

“The machinery in environmental microbes is still a largely untapped potential for uncovering sustainable solutions we can exploit,” said Ludmilla Aristilde, senior author on the study and associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University.

Unlike most other bacteria, which thrive on sugar, C. testosteroni has a more refined palate, including chemically complex materials from plants and plastics that take longer to decompose.

The researchers are the first to demonstrate not only that this bacteria can break down plastic, but they also illuminate exactly how they do it.

Through six meticulous steps, involving complex imaging and gene editing techniques, the authors found that the bacteria first physically break down plastic by chewing it into smaller pieces.

Then, they release enzymes — components of a cell that speed up chemical reactions — to chemically break down the plastic into a carbon-rich food source known as terephthalate.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...

TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: plastic

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you.

I look forward too a New World where everything slowly turns to Grey Goo.

Already too much rubber is starting to turn into sticky gunk

1 posted on 10/05/2024 12:52:04 PM PDT by algore

To: algore

My first thought, too. These microbes escape, mutate, and start munching on ALL plastic. Everything in your house, much of your actual your house, all your furnishings, and all your clothes turn to microbe excrement.

2 posted on 10/05/2024 12:56:00 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (May the soy boys, feminazis, and alphabet weirdos choke on the toxic fumes of our masculinity)

To: algore

3 posted on 10/05/2024 1:00:21 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)

To: BenLurkin

4 posted on 10/05/2024 1:01:18 PM PDT by 21twelve (Ever Vigilant - Never Fearful)

To: BenLurkin

5 posted on 10/05/2024 1:01:28 PM PDT by Fai Mao (The US government is run by pedophiles and Perverts for pedophiles and perverts.)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Read Entire Article