Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science have created new sturdy and biodegradable plastics.
Plastic is an essential part of life, but when it breaks down, it becomes microplastics, which pollute the ocean and harm humans and marine life. This new plastic aims to fix that problem.
According to SciTechDaily, alternative plastic studies have been ongoing for years. Some biodegradable options exist, but none have been found that would naturally break down in seawater. Most are water-insoluble, so they still contribute to microplastic pollution.
Now, a study published in Science found a supramolecular polymer that dissolves into metabolizable compounds in salt water.
The team made the new plastics "by combining two ionic monomers that form cross-linked salt bridges, which provide strength and flexibility," per SciTechDaily. When two monomers were mixed in water, they created two different liquids. One liquid was thick and sticky. The other was watery. "When sodium hexametaphosphate and alkyl diguanidinium sulfate were used, sodium sulfate salt was expelled into the watery layer." The new plastic, alkyl SP₂, was created by drying the thick, sticky liquid layer.
The desalting process was vital because when the material was put in salt water, it reversed and dissolved in "a matter of hours."
Additionally, according to SciTechDaily, the "new plastics are non-toxic and non-flammable." The team also tested its reliability and found that 91% of hexametaphosphate and 82% of guanidinium could be recovered. After degrading in 10 days, the plastic also nourished the soil.
"With this new material, we have created a new family of plastics that are strong, stable, recyclable, can serve multiple functions, and importantly, do not generate microplastics," said team lead Takuzo Aida.
The new innovative plastic couldn't come at a more vital time. In 2023, a study found that microplastic pollution was more significant than anyone could have imagined. It found that 170 trillion pieces of plastic were in the ocean, equal to about 21,000 pieces per person worldwide.
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Microplastics in the ocean still need to be removed. However, a plastic alternative that breaks down in the sea will prevent more plastic from entering waterways.
While you wait for new plastics like this to become commercialized, you can also choose plastic-free options for the products you buy every day. It's an easy step and a great way to help decrease plastic pollution.
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