Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution problems, scientists hope

msn ^

[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.

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TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: plastic

[algore]

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

[ProtectOurFreedom]

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.

[BenLurkin]

“Safe and effective”

[21twelve]

The Andromeda Strain.

[Fai Mao]

Ice-9

[dynachrome]

How many plastic parts in your vehicles?

[Qwapisking]

“gunk in the rubber”. good title for an anti-children anthem.

[Da Coyote]

DemocRAT eating bacteria could combat IQ, morals, judgement, maturity, and general repulsion problems, honest people hope.

[1FreeAmerican]

You beat me!

[SpaceBar]

Scientists hope?

[monkeyshine]

Feed me Seymour!

[Cold Heart]

It’s because no other bacteria has the balls or macaroni to do it.

[butlerweave]

Plastic women better watch out

[Libloather]

Thought it said ‘public-eating bacteria’. The other solution.

[butlerweave]

When it mutates into something else like The Blob

[PeterPrinciple]

https://phys.org/news/2024-06-bacteria-plastic.html

Leiden Ph.D. candidate Jo-Anne Verschoor discovered that nearly 20% of the bacterial strains she studied could degrade plastic, though they needed some encouragement to do so. “Bacteria are just like people,” says Verschoor. Her research was published in the journal Communications Biology.

[clearcarbon]

"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."

I do not like biodegradable containers or uV sensitive durable goods that degrade before I am finished using them.

[xoxox]

then it eats the planet.

[xoxox]

been hearing about trash eating bacteria now for over 50 years.

[Qwapisking]

but we STILL have liberal trash that has yet to be eaten. apparently the liberal leftist trash is inedible. wondering if melting this plastic trash of humans is a worthwhile goal. fire cleanses...right?