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Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

phys.org

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Re: Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

#31

Post by Retric »

collyw wrote: post #28
Retric wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the issue with having plastic in dumps? IMO, they dumps are one of the few carbon sinks humans actually use. Releasing that carbon seems to be a waste.

I can't believe people are arguing for more landfill. Its inevitable that its going to happen, but that doesn't mean we should shouldn't try and minimize it. As we know lots of it doesn't end up in landfill. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/19/more-plastic...

Carbon Sequestration is a landfill. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_sequestration

Plastic is Carbon, hydrogen, and possibly (oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen) ex: C4H3NO2. Breaking plastic down just gives that same stuff back.

IMO, Sequestration is generally a bad idea, but if it's already underground then releasing that carbon for little gain seems pointless. At least when we burn trash we get some energy out of it.

Re: Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

#32

Post by mason240 »

Retric wrote: post #27
mason240 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except "not rotting or corroding in wet conditions" is one of the reasons plastic is so useful.

People also used to use wooden boats.

Ok? They switched because plastic is a far superior material.

I never have to worry about my plastic canoe rotting, weighs half of what a wooden one does, and is more flexible when scraping rock.

Re: Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

#34

Post by x5n1 »

unprepare wrote: post #18

From another article on the same topic[1]: >The Kyoto researchers identified the gene in the bacteria's DNA that is responsible for the PET-digesting enzyme. They then were able to manufacture more of the enzyme and then demonstrate that PET could be broken down with the enzyme alone. Sounds like this is quite a big step forward in our ability to reduce plastics to more base elements. Has anyone caught what the exact…

Well if these genes exist somewhere, and we commercialize them. Is it not a matter of time until these genes become more common in bacteria in general and then we can no longer use plastics, I guess then we would have to put some antibacterial in plastics too. Like say a long time period.

Re: Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

#35

Post by ScottBurson »

hanniabu wrote: post #10

I'm a bit confused. In the article it has these 2 statements: > "...enzyme breaks it down even further, providing the bacteria with carbon and energy to grow." > "I don't see how microbes degrading plastics is any better than putting plastic bottles in a recycling bin so they can be melted down to make new ones." Is it degrading it to basic elements such as carbon, or is the bacteria just breaking the plastic down in…

According to another piece I saw on this [0], the reaction products are ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Both of those are useful industrial chemicals, though not things you'd want to eat yourself.

ETA: The Gizmag article characterizes these chemicals as "environmentally harmless", which might be a slight exaggeration. I wouldn't be surprised if terephthalic acid turned out to be an endocrine disruptor, given its benzene ring. But neither chemical is acutely toxic.

[0] http://www.gizmag.com/pet-enzyme-plastic-waste/42262/

Re: Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

#37

Post by bduerst »

Retric wrote: post #31
collyw wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't believe people are arguing for more landfill. Its inevitable that its going to happen, but that doesn't mean we should shouldn't try and minimize it. As we know lots of it doesn't end up in landfill. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/19/more-plastic...

Carbon Sequestration is a landfill. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_sequestration Plastic is Carbon, hydrogen, and possibly (oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen) ex: C4H3NO2. Breaking plastic down just gives that same stuff back. IMO, Sequestration is generally a bad idea, but if it's already underground then releasing that carbon for little gain seems pointless. At least when we burn trash we get some energy out of it.

They mean landfill as in a garbage dump: https://www.google.com/search?q=landfill&espv=2&rlz=1CAZZAD_...

There are many forms of carbon sequestration, but this is the first I've seen someone try to redefine it all as garbage. There is more than just plastic (carbon) in a landfill, some of which takes centuries to degrade.

Re: Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

#38

Post by onetimePete »

amatus wrote: post #17
johnm1019 wrote: post #4

Would it be possible to use a spray rich in these bacteria (and maybe other nutrients?) onto that island of plastic at sea?

The article mentions the bacteria works at "a steady 86 degrees Fahrenheit." It may work slower or not at all at Pacific Ocean temperatures.

may work in a animals stomache?

Re: Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

#39

Post by forgotmysn »

x5n1 wrote: post #34
unprepare wrote: post #18

From another article on the same topic[1]: >The Kyoto researchers identified the gene in the bacteria's DNA that is responsible for the PET-digesting enzyme. They then were able to manufacture more of the enzyme and then demonstrate that PET could be broken down with the enzyme alone. Sounds like this is quite a big step forward in our ability to reduce plastics to more base elements. Has anyone caught what the exact…

Well if these genes exist somewhere, and we commercialize them. Is it not a matter of time until these genes become more common in bacteria in general and then we can no longer use plastics, I guess then we would have to put some antibacterial in plastics too. Like say a long time period.

I'm not a biologist, but I don't think genes are contagious

Re: Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles

#40

Post by x5n1 »

forgotmysn wrote: post #39
x5n1 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well if these genes exist somewhere, and we commercialize them. Is it not a matter of time until these genes become more common in bacteria in general and then we can no longer use plastics, I guess then we would have to put some antibacterial in plastics too. Like say a long time period.

I'm not a biologist, but I don't think genes are contagious

Look up horizontal transfer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_gene_transfer

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