Serendipity: Scientists develop plastic-eating enzyme accidentally
Today, while reading i came across a very interesting yet alarming issue related article. As we all are aware usage of plastic in day to day life has actually made us so dependent that even for carrying small things we need plastic in form of bags. It seems to be as plastic has became an essential part of our life which in reality is posing some serious threats to our environment which we really need to get rid off.
Scientists have been trying to generate an effective substitute for plastic and they have been successful to certain extent by making biodegradable plastics. But due its high costing most of the countries could not include its proper circulation in the markets. Though its been promoted in the International market. But degradation of plastic has been an alarming issue since long time back
Discovery of first ever antibiotic Penicillin is been regarded as an accidental discovery in 1928. Fortunately in 2018, scientists have found some plastic-eating enzymes which could bring revolution in this aspect. Scientists have accidentally developed a plastic-eating enzyme that may be used to combat one of the world's worst pollution problems.
Reserachers from Britain's University of Postmouth and the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) made the discovery while examining the structure of a natural enzyme found in a waste recycling centre a few years ago in Japan.
This finding was published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
They said the enzyme, Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6, is able to "eat" polythene terephthalate, PET, which was patented as a plastic in the 1940's and is used in millions of tonnes of plastic bottles.
How they found it
Their aim was to study its structure, but they accidentally engineered an enzyme which was even better at breaking down PET plastics.
NREL's lead researcher Gregg Beckham said "We hoped to determine its structure to aid in protein engineering, but we ended up going a step further and accidentally engineered an enzyme with improved performance at breaking down these plastics".
Recycling solution
The discovery could result in recycling solution for millions of tonnes of plastic bottles made of PET, which currently persists for hundreds of years in the environment.
End to crisis?
The enzyme can also degrade polythethylene furandicarboxylate, or PEF, a bio-based substitute for PET plastics that is being hailed as a replacement for glass beer bottles.
Scientists have been trying to generate an effective substitute for plastic and they have been successful to certain extent by making biodegradable plastics. But due its high costing most of the countries could not include its proper circulation in the markets. Though its been promoted in the International market. But degradation of plastic has been an alarming issue since long time back
Discovery of first ever antibiotic Penicillin is been regarded as an accidental discovery in 1928. Fortunately in 2018, scientists have found some plastic-eating enzymes which could bring revolution in this aspect. Scientists have accidentally developed a plastic-eating enzyme that may be used to combat one of the world's worst pollution problems.
Reserachers from Britain's University of Postmouth and the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) made the discovery while examining the structure of a natural enzyme found in a waste recycling centre a few years ago in Japan.
This finding was published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
They said the enzyme, Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6, is able to "eat" polythene terephthalate, PET, which was patented as a plastic in the 1940's and is used in millions of tonnes of plastic bottles.
How they found it
Their aim was to study its structure, but they accidentally engineered an enzyme which was even better at breaking down PET plastics.
NREL's lead researcher Gregg Beckham said "We hoped to determine its structure to aid in protein engineering, but we ended up going a step further and accidentally engineered an enzyme with improved performance at breaking down these plastics".
Recycling solution
The discovery could result in recycling solution for millions of tonnes of plastic bottles made of PET, which currently persists for hundreds of years in the environment.
End to crisis?
The enzyme can also degrade polythethylene furandicarboxylate, or PEF, a bio-based substitute for PET plastics that is being hailed as a replacement for glass beer bottles.
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