British scientists from Brunel University in London have created two new enzymes that break down one of the most common types of single-use plastic. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine NPJ Biofilms and Microbiomes.
“Not only have we identified two new PET (polyethylene terephthalate) degrading enzymes, we have also found a way to increase their degradability by modifying the bacteria as a whole, rather than modifying each enzyme individually,” said Dr Ronan McCarthy, author of the report.
A biomedical team engineered plastic-degrading bacteria to bind to waste and form biofilms on it. This increased the enzyme concentration around the plastic, making it stronger and able to break down the polymer into its components more quickly.
The researchers believe that the biofilm effect they discovered could also be applied to other enzymes used to recycle plastic waste.
Now scientists plan to test two new enzymes in a bioreactor. Tests will show whether modified organisms can destroy plastic waste on an industrial scale.
Biologists before converted Transfer soil bacteria to plastic suckers.