Post by account_disabled on Feb 27, 2024 0:54:40 GMT -5
Enzymes capable of degrading plastics in just a few hours.
Plastic pollution represents a threat to the planet's health and environment, and biodegradation by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi is proposed as a possible solution to address the problem of plastic waste . However, to date, only a handful of microorganisms are known to break down the tough plastic polymers that make up polyethylene. In most cases, aggressive pretreatment is needed to ensure oxidation and thus allow microorganisms to have some effect on the plastic.
A team of researchers in Spain has just discovered that the saliva of the waxworm species Galleria mellonella contains enzymes capable of degrading plastics in hours at room temperature. The discovery of these enzymes, which belong to the phenol oxidase family and can quickly decompose polyethylene, opens a range of applications for the treatment or recycling of plastic waste.
The wax moth worm is capable of degrading the chemical bonds in polyethylene, a widely produced synthetic polymer and plastic used in packaging, bags and other everyday materials. Federica Be Brazil Mobile Number List rtocchini, a biology researcher and beekeeper in Spain, discovered the ability of this insect by chance several years ago.
“For plastic to degrade, oxygen must penetrate the polymer (the plastic molecule). This is the first step of oxidation, which is usually the result of exposure to sunlight or high temperatures, and represents a bottleneck that slows down the degradation of plastics such as polyethylene, one of the most resistant polymers,” explains Bertocchini. . “That's why, under normal environmental conditions, plastic takes months or even years to degrade,” he adds.
She said the plastic-eating enzymes they discovered are the first and only known enzymes capable of degrading polyethylene plastic by oxidizing and breaking down the polymer very quickly (after a few hours of exposure) without requiring pretreatment and work. at room temperature.
The researchers analyzed the saliva using electron microscopy and observed a high protein content from which two enzymes were isolated and identified. These two proteins, Demetra and Ceres, belong to the phenol oxidase family of enzymes. They found that the enzyme Demetra had a significant effect on polyethylene, leaving marks (small craters) on the surface of the plastic visible to the naked eye.
Additionally, degradation products are formed after exposure of polyethylene to this enzyme. The Ceres enzyme also oxidizes the polymer but leaves no visible marks, suggesting that the two enzymes have a different effect on polyethylene.
The mechanisms by which these enzymes can degrade plastic are still unknown and more research is required that combines insect biology with biotechnology.
Plastic pollution represents a threat to the planet's health and environment, and biodegradation by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi is proposed as a possible solution to address the problem of plastic waste . However, to date, only a handful of microorganisms are known to break down the tough plastic polymers that make up polyethylene. In most cases, aggressive pretreatment is needed to ensure oxidation and thus allow microorganisms to have some effect on the plastic.
A team of researchers in Spain has just discovered that the saliva of the waxworm species Galleria mellonella contains enzymes capable of degrading plastics in hours at room temperature. The discovery of these enzymes, which belong to the phenol oxidase family and can quickly decompose polyethylene, opens a range of applications for the treatment or recycling of plastic waste.
The wax moth worm is capable of degrading the chemical bonds in polyethylene, a widely produced synthetic polymer and plastic used in packaging, bags and other everyday materials. Federica Be Brazil Mobile Number List rtocchini, a biology researcher and beekeeper in Spain, discovered the ability of this insect by chance several years ago.
“For plastic to degrade, oxygen must penetrate the polymer (the plastic molecule). This is the first step of oxidation, which is usually the result of exposure to sunlight or high temperatures, and represents a bottleneck that slows down the degradation of plastics such as polyethylene, one of the most resistant polymers,” explains Bertocchini. . “That's why, under normal environmental conditions, plastic takes months or even years to degrade,” he adds.
She said the plastic-eating enzymes they discovered are the first and only known enzymes capable of degrading polyethylene plastic by oxidizing and breaking down the polymer very quickly (after a few hours of exposure) without requiring pretreatment and work. at room temperature.
The researchers analyzed the saliva using electron microscopy and observed a high protein content from which two enzymes were isolated and identified. These two proteins, Demetra and Ceres, belong to the phenol oxidase family of enzymes. They found that the enzyme Demetra had a significant effect on polyethylene, leaving marks (small craters) on the surface of the plastic visible to the naked eye.
Additionally, degradation products are formed after exposure of polyethylene to this enzyme. The Ceres enzyme also oxidizes the polymer but leaves no visible marks, suggesting that the two enzymes have a different effect on polyethylene.
The mechanisms by which these enzymes can degrade plastic are still unknown and more research is required that combines insect biology with biotechnology.