Plastic-Eating Enzyme Accidentally Discovered in Lab

[Xmara]

According to National Geographic, an enzyme that eats plastic was accidentally discovered in a lab in the US and could be a potential solution to the ever increasing amount of plastic currently polluting our world.

It’s a potential breakthrough in the fight against plastic pollution—an enzyme that can digest plastic that is commonly found polluting our environment.

The discovery could one day result in a recycling solution that can process millions of tonnes of plastic, made from polyethylene terephthalate (also known as PET), which currently persists in the environment for hundreds of years.

The research was led by teams at the University of Portsmouth and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), with the results being published in the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The findings follow the discovery of an enzyme that had evolved to digest PET plastic, which is often used in the production of plastic bottles, food containers,and even fibers in clothes. Professor John McGeehan from the University of Portsmouth and Gregg Beckham at the NREL studied the crystal structure of this enzyme to understand how it works.

SERENDIPITY STRIKES
During the study, the team accidently engineered a mutant version that is even better at degrading the plastic than the one that has evolved in nature.

The researchers are now working on further improving the effectiveness of the enzyme so it can be applied to industrial uses, where it may break down plastic in a fraction of the time.

McGeehan, director of the Institute of Biological and Biomedical Sciences in the School of Biological Sciences at Portsmouth, said: “We can all play a significant part in dealing with the plastic problem, but the scientific community who ultimately created these ‘wonder materials’ must now use all the technology at their disposal to develop real solutions.”

ENZYME EVOLUTION
The breakthrough came through the examination of the structure of the enzyme that had evolved in nature and was thought to have been discovered in a recycling site in Japan. The aim was to understand how the enzyme had evolved and to see if it might be possible to improve it. During the study, however, the team accidently engineered an enzyme that was even better at breaking down PET plastic.

38 MILLION PIECES OF PLASTIC TRASH COVER THIS REMOTE ISLAND
“Serendipity often plays a significant role in fundamental scientific research and our discovery here is no exception,” McGeehan said.

“Although the improvement is modest, this unanticipated discovery suggests that there is room to further improve these enzymes, moving us closer to a recycling solution for the ever-growing mountain of discarded plastics.”

DISCARDED PLASTICS
The research team can now apply the tools of protein engineering and evolution to continue to improve the enzyme. The research also revealed that the enzyme can also degrade polyethylene furandicarboxylate, or PEF, a bio-based substitute for PET plastics that is being hailed as a replacement for glass beer bottles.

McGeehan said: “The engineering process is much the same as for enzymes currently being used in bio-washing detergents and in the manufacture of biofuels –it’s well within the possibility that in the coming years we will see an industrially viable process to turn PET and potentially other substrates like PEF, PLA, and PBS, back into their original building blocks so that they can be sustainably recycled.”

So what do you think, NSG? Could this enzyme be a viable solution to our global plastic problem? Or do you think it won’t do much to positively impact our environment?

I’m very optimistic that this discovery could eliminate a significant amount of waste plastic and can’t wait for this to be implemented on a larger scale. However I do think more testing should be done. You know, just to make sure it won’t cause problems of its own. But I don’t think it will.

[New Emeline]

I hope it can help.

[Western-Ukraine]

This could potentially be relevant. Microbes can already be utilized in many applications, so could this enzyme if we're fortunate. Enzymes can't eat, though.

[Albrenia]

This could be a great boon to the rather daunting levels of plastic waste in some parts of the world. Yay for science.

[Western-Ukraine]

This could be a great boon to the rather daunting levels of plastic waste in some parts of the world. Yay for science.

It's more about the political initiative than anything. This will never magically work and couldn't possibly make a tangible effect, because there is just so much of the plastic.

[New Emeline]

This could be a great boon to the rather daunting levels of plastic waste in some parts of the world. Yay for science.

It's more about the political initiative than anything. This will never magically work and couldn't possibly make a tangible effect, because there is just so much of the plastic.

Can we not make a ton of this enzyme (if it works)?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

According to National Geographic, an enzyme that eats plastic was accidentally discovered in a lab in the US and could be a potential solution to the ever increasing amount of plastic currently polluting our world.

It’s a potential breakthrough in the fight against plastic pollution—an enzyme that can digest plastic that is commonly found polluting our environment.

The discovery could one day result in a recycling solution that can process millions of tonnes of plastic, made from polyethylene terephthalate (also known as PET), which currently persists in the environment for hundreds of years.

The research was led by teams at the University of Portsmouth and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), with the results being published in the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

The findings follow the discovery of an enzyme that had evolved to digest PET plastic, which is often used in the production of plastic bottles, food containers,and even fibers in clothes. Professor John McGeehan from the University of Portsmouth and Gregg Beckham at the NREL studied the crystal structure of this enzyme to understand how it works.

SERENDIPITY STRIKES
During the study, the team accidently engineered a mutant version that is even better at degrading the plastic than the one that has evolved in nature.

The researchers are now working on further improving the effectiveness of the enzyme so it can be applied to industrial uses, where it may break down plastic in a fraction of the time.

McGeehan, director of the Institute of Biological and Biomedical Sciences in the School of Biological Sciences at Portsmouth, said: “We can all play a significant part in dealing with the plastic problem, but the scientific community who ultimately created these ‘wonder materials’ must now use all the technology at their disposal to develop real solutions.”

ENZYME EVOLUTION
The breakthrough came through the examination of the structure of the enzyme that had evolved in nature and was thought to have been discovered in a recycling site in Japan. The aim was to understand how the enzyme had evolved and to see if it might be possible to improve it. During the study, however, the team accidently engineered an enzyme that was even better at breaking down PET plastic.

38 MILLION PIECES OF PLASTIC TRASH COVER THIS REMOTE ISLAND
“Serendipity often plays a significant role in fundamental scientific research and our discovery here is no exception,” McGeehan said.

“Although the improvement is modest, this unanticipated discovery suggests that there is room to further improve these enzymes, moving us closer to a recycling solution for the ever-growing mountain of discarded plastics.”

DISCARDED PLASTICS
The research team can now apply the tools of protein engineering and evolution to continue to improve the enzyme. The research also revealed that the enzyme can also degrade polyethylene furandicarboxylate, or PEF, a bio-based substitute for PET plastics that is being hailed as a replacement for glass beer bottles.

McGeehan said: “The engineering process is much the same as for enzymes currently being used in bio-washing detergents and in the manufacture of biofuels –it’s well within the possibility that in the coming years we will see an industrially viable process to turn PET and potentially other substrates like PEF, PLA, and PBS, back into their original building blocks so that they can be sustainably recycled.”

So what do you think, NSG? Could this enzyme be a viable solution to our global plastic problem? Or do you think it won’t do much to positively impact our environment?

I’m very optimistic that this discovery could eliminate a significant amount of waste plastic and can’t wait for this to be implemented on a larger scale. However I do think more testing should be done. You know, just to make sure it won’t cause problems of its own. But I don’t think it will.

It could help. Both inland in on sea. We have a huge issue with plastics, especially in the ocean. It could very well be a good start for the cleanup process.

[Xmara]

This could be a great boon to the rather daunting levels of plastic waste in some parts of the world. Yay for science.

It's more about the political initiative than anything. This will never magically work and couldn't possibly make a tangible effect, because there is just so much of the plastic.

That’s my only fear. Sure we could make a ton of the enzyme, but even then, will it be enough?

[Western-Ukraine]

It's more about the political initiative than anything. This will never magically work and couldn't possibly make a tangible effect, because there is just so much of the plastic.

Can we not make a ton of this enzyme (if it works)?

Now I'm not speaking from experience, but I assume that it wouldn't be that easy to utilize in a vast environment like the oceans. Plastics can already be difficult to even locate, what more of microplastics. Possibly effective in smaller applications, just like we already use bacteria with sewage treatment and so on. Any net result gets a cheer from me though, no question about it.

[Entreum]

Wait... Am I the only one who's been eating my water bottles after a nice drink?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Wait... Am I the only one who's been eating my water bottles after a nice drink?

Yes Freddy, it's just you. Add more Ranch dressing.

[Right wing humour squad]

Can we modify humans to produce this enzyme?

Like a little tampering with Somalia’s population and they can survive off our waste?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Can we modify humans to produce this enzyme?

Like a little tampering with Somalia’s population and they can survive off our waste?

I'm not sure human gene tampering is legal.

[Bombadil]

It's one of those discoveries that sounds good but probably isn't scalable or doesn't have much commercial application and therefore goes nowhere.

However.. we should build all AI robots out of plastic and keep this enzyme handy for when the wars come.

[Albrenia]

I wonder if whatever they break the plastic down into can be recycled back into plastic.

[LimaUniformNovemberAlpha]

What sort of fumes are released by this digestion?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

It's one of those discoveries that sounds good but probably isn't scalable or doesn't have much commercial application and therefore goes nowhere.

However.. we should build all AI robots out of plastic and keep this enzyme handy for when the wars come.

Wishful thinking but it would be great if it could be scalable enough that it can help us with the plastic problem we have.

[Bombadil]

I wonder if whatever they break the plastic down into can be recycled back into plastic.

They seem to think so..

"..it’s well within the possibility that in the coming years we will see an industrially viable process to turn PET and potentially other substrates like PEF, PLA, and PBS, back into their original building blocks so that they can be sustainably recycled.”

What sort of fumes are released by this digestion?

Yeah, probably not pretty ones.

[Fartsniffage]

I wonder if whatever they break the plastic down into can be recycled back into plastic.

McGeehan said: “The engineering process is much the same as for enzymes currently being used in bio-washing detergents and in the manufacture of biofuels –it’s well within the possibility that in the coming years we will see an industrially viable process to turn PET and potentially other substrates like PEF, PLA, and PBS, back into their original building blocks so that they can be sustainably recycled.”

[Bombadil]

Seems Fartsniffage has serendipitously discovered a means of recycling my post.. the general post waste on NSG is huge and swamps the boards - hurrah for a solution!

[Mushet]

Ah science, propelled by happy accidents.

[Xmara]

What sort of fumes are released by this digestion?

We don’t know. More research has to be done.

[Right wing humour squad]

Can we modify humans to produce this enzyme?

Like a little tampering with Somalia’s population and they can survive off our waste?

I'm not sure human gene tampering is legal.

Not even for humanitarian reasons?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I'm not sure human gene tampering is legal.

Not even for humanitarian reasons?

Well, where do we draw the line? Once we start tampering with human genes, even for humanitarian reasons, how can we stop the tampering for nefarious reasons?

Why am I even going on this tangent? Don't mind me.

I understand that you are concerned about feeding a country, but plastic?

[Western-Ukraine]

Not even for humanitarian reasons?

Well, where do we draw the line? Once we start tampering with human genes, even for humanitarian reasons, how can we stop the tampering for nefarious reasons?

Why am I even going on this tangent? Don't mind me.

I understand that you are concerned about feeding a country, but plastic?

Some surgical tools cause the equivalent dose (non-technical) of one box of cigarettes. Is working in an operating room tampering with human genes too, because carcinogenic substances can create mutations and alter the composition of the genome?