Saturday, November 2, 2024

Bacteria can eat plastic

 

This might be one way out of the plastic crisis. 

Plastic-eating bacteria could combat pollution problems, scientists hope 

A bacteria commonly found in wastewater can break down plastic to turn it into a food source, a new study finds. Scientists hope it is a pollution solution.

"In a study published Thursday [October 3]  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."

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."

 It's a very special bacteria.



No comments: