Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
1–10 of 77 posts
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#2Have there been studies about the dangers of these types of microbes spreading out into the "wild"?
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#3Is anyone else concerned about the effects this could have if it managed to get out of containment and into the wild? A self-replicating bacteria that eats plastics sounds like a potentially catastrophic event, considering how much we use them in day to day life.
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#4Is anyone else concerned about the effects this could have if it managed to get out of containment and into the wild? A self-replicating bacteria that eats plastics sounds like a potentially catastrophic event, considering how much we use them in day to day life.
Yup. The whole reason we use plastic for everything is because it's cheap and mostly inert (i.e. doesn't break down in the environment). If plastic starts rotting we are going to be in for a really bad time. It's difficult to even imagine the cost of all the damage. Seems like we're a decently far way off from that point though.
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#5How is this different from the products currently developed by companies like Carbios[1] ?
I'm a totally ignorant in physics and chemistry (except from what I've studied at school) so excuse my genuine question.
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#6Is anyone else concerned about the effects this could have if it managed to get out of containment and into the wild? A self-replicating bacteria that eats plastics sounds like a potentially catastrophic event, considering how much we use them in day to day life.
If you bothered to actually read the article, you'd see that this is a microbe that already exists in the wild.
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#7Have there been studies about the dangers of these types of microbes spreading out into the "wild"?
The article talks about a microbe that already exists in the wild.
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#8Is anyone else concerned about the effects this could have if it managed to get out of containment and into the wild? A self-replicating bacteria that eats plastics sounds like a potentially catastrophic event, considering how much we use them in day to day life.
I used to think about that, but there really isn't that much plastic to sustain something like that. I know it might seem like there is tons and tons of plastic around and blowing in the wind and in our oceans, but the amount needed for a "infection" of this microbe to take hold would need to be many orders of magnitude higher.
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#9Is anyone else concerned about the effects this could have if it managed to get out of containment and into the wild? A self-replicating bacteria that eats plastics sounds like a potentially catastrophic event, considering how much we use them in day to day life.
If you bothered to actually read the article, you'd see that this is a microbe that already exists in the wild.
I imagine the plan is to engineer it to increase its potency. It's clearly not at a dangerous/critical point in its current form.
Re: Scientists identify microbe that could help degrade polyurethane-based plastics
#10Is anyone else concerned about the effects this could have if it managed to get out of containment and into the wild? A self-replicating bacteria that eats plastics sounds like a potentially catastrophic event, considering how much we use them in day to day life.
Just wash your hands before touching your AirPods :)