How it affects the decomposition of plastic
Inorganic waste represents a fundamental problem: it does not degrade easily in nature. If we know how long it takes for some of the materials we throw away every day to disappear, we will better understand the importance of recycling them.
Inorganic waste is waste that does not come from biological sources. They are, however, products obtained by industrial processes. The degradation time of inorganic waste, when it is deposited in the natural environment, is so long that it is vital to promote initiatives to raise public awareness of the importance of disposing of inorganic waste correctly. If you want to know how long it takes for chewing gum to degrade or how long it takes the Earth to dispose of a plastic bottle, read on.
How to degrade plastic faster
Following in the wake of this enzyme, scientists from different countries (United Kingdom, United States, Brazil and China, among others) are studying its structure in order to replicate its mechanisms. This is the case of an experiment carried out by researchers from the University of Portsmouth (UK) and the US Department of Energy, who have managed to optimize the decomposition of plastic (up to 10% faster) through a mutation of this enzyme. A further step would be to transplant this mutant enzyme into bacteria, capable of surviving temperatures of up to 70°C, when PET becomes viscous and dissolves faster.
The revolutionary potential of these experiments lies in the fact that all living things contain enzymes that serve to accelerate chemical reactions that occur in their respective organisms, such as digesting food. Furthermore, the fact that the PETase enzyme can digest PET plastic is very relevant in environmental terms, since this type of plastic is one of the main sources of pollution.
Plastic-eating bacteria advantages and disadvantages
“PETase and the new MHETase-Petase combination work by digesting PET plastic, returning it to its original components. This allows plastics to be endlessly manufactured and reused, reducing our dependence on fossil resources such as oil and gas,” noted the University of Portsmouth in releasing the research that was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
This super enzyme degrades plastic six times faster than its predecessor, which opens a window of important implications for the recycling of PET and other plastics widely used in beverage bottles, carpets and clothing.
It should be noted, however, that at the moment PETase alone is not fast enough to make the process commercially viable in the face of, for example, handling tons of discarded plastic bottles.
The combination with MHETase, however, has resulted in much greater improvements and shorter degradation time for the plastic. Combining PETase and MHETase significantly doubles the degradation rate of PET.
What effects does plastic decomposition cause?
It is a shame that we use plastic in everything and then it is not recycled. I have worked in two restaurants and I want to tell everyone that they DO NOT RECYCLE. Coke cans, plastic bottles and everything that can be recycled is thrown in the regular trash with the rest of the waste. And if you try to recycle you get a scolding. It is not a question of looking for bacteria, it is a question of not generating so much garbage. We’ll all end up dying because we’re filthy.
#1CloseThese Japanese have no idea of business: What gives money is the construction and tourism.that of investing in research, R & D … better to spend the money on bailing out banks and banks …, I fully agree with you on the construction and the money for boxes, but with regard to tourism, Have you heard of Adam Smith?
Very good news, and to expand we should go to the sources. We will have to develop the technology to keep the bugs under control, they won’t eat our glasses. But, one thing: it’s ENZYMES, not enzymes.