Scientists Create World's 1st Truly Biodegradable Plastic That Breaks Apart In Days

Scientists now have developed the first completely biodegradable plastic that can break down in a matter of weeks when exposed to heat and water. They plan on using this specifically for single-use plastics.

Reuters

A 2015 researcher from the University of Georgia has shown that between 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic every year enters the oceans via people living within 30 miles of a coast.

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According to 2019 data by the Central Pollution Control Board, India alone generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of it.

To tackle the ever-rising problem of plastic waste, scientists have now decided to include plastic-eating enzymes right into the plastic itself. This is according to a study published in Nature.

Plastic-eating enzymes embedded in plastic

Scientists have managed to embed polyester eating enzymes in a special polymer wrapping while developing the plastic. What¡¯s special about this wrapping is that this wrapper, when exposed to heat and water, disintegrates, allowing for the plastic-eating enzymes to be released and consume the plastic, degrading them in a matter of days.

One crucial development was keeping the polyester-eating enzymes from falling apart -- a common phenomenon when the proteins are removed from their native environment. To protect the enzymes, they developed them with molecules called random heteropolymers that hold the proteins together without limiting their natural flexibility.

These molecules, according to researchers, also degrade when exposed to UV light and are present at a concentration of only one percent by weight in the plastic. These nanoparticles of wrapped enzymes are embedded in the resin beads that begin the manufacturing of plastic.

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The heat releases the enzymes, degrades plastic in days

When heated to 50 degrees celsius, the modified PLA degraded completely in just six days. Another variant of modified plastic with polycaprolactone with lipase enzymes break down faster but took two days at 40 degrees celsius.

UC Berkeley

In another test, warming up a plastic sample in warm water, heating it to 40 degrees Celsius also resulted in a similar degradation, disappearing from the water.

UC Berkeley

What¡¯s more fascinating is that this enzyme-coated plastic doesn't result in microplastic pollutants upon breaking down.

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Paper author and materials scientist Ting Xu of the University of California Berkeley explains, ¡°People are now prepared to move into biodegradable polymers for single-use plastics. But if it turns out that it creates more problems than it's worth, then the policy might revert back.¡±

Xu added, ¡°We are basically saying that we are on the right track. We can solve this continuing problem of single-use plastics not being biodegradable.¡±