Our modern relationship with plastics is complicated. The material is ubiquitous in packaging and product design, but plastic is resilient, and recycling efforts are less effective than once thought.
As we deal with the environmental consequences of our industrial passion for plastics, scientists are investigating more eco-friendly ways to deal with the material.
One of the more interesting solutions has come out of the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, according to a report by BGR. A team of researchers there has created a "living plastic" with embedded bacteria spores that can be activated to consume the container.
Bacteria aren't really living at all when they're in spore form, as the report detailed, and can survive the extremes of plastic manufacturing while remaining dormant in the material. The research team combined them with PCL (polycaprolactone) plastic beads to form containers that appear and function like normal plastic ones.
This particular type of bacteria is called Bacillus subtilis, and it was engineered specifically to secrete lipase BC, which is an enzyme that can break down plastic.
By subjecting these "living plastic" containers to one of two methods, as BGR noted, the spores can be activated and begin eating away at the material.
Exposing the containers to heavy metal ions was the fastest way to activate the bacteria, which then only needed six to seven days to break them down.
Alternatively, through surface abrasion or composting, it can take about 25 to 30 days for the material to be broken down, per the report. In contrast, regular PCL plastics take around 55 days to degrade into non-visible particles.
This innovative design could help reduce the amount of plastic waste expected to be generated in the future while we work to deal with the massive amounts of the stuff that have spread to every biome across the globe.
🗣️ Do you think America has a plastic waste problem?
🔘 Definitely 👍
🔘 Only in some areas 🫤
🔘 Not really 👎
🔘 I'm not sure 🤷
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
The researchers have also tested a similar application with a variety of commercial plastics that have more rigorous manufacturing processes than PCL.
A bacteria with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression plasmid was blended with PBS (polybutylene succinate), PBAT (polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate), PLA (polylactic acid), PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates), and even PET (polyethylene terephthalate), as BGR detailed.
After grinding down those final products, the bacteria were still able to activate and express that fluorescent protein, suggesting that the process could have a broad application across even more types of plastic.
This provides hope for a future where the microplastic epidemic is controlled. In the meantime, there are plenty of plastic-free alternatives available which are healthier for us and the environment.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
