I see similar articles or research like twice a year. And nothing ever comes of it.
Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
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Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#12Microplastics are the "lead/asbestos poisoning" of our generation, and the problem is actually far more dire than either of the former. Someday, we will look back on how we could have ever allowed microplastics into our lives with shock and awe.
Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#13Is there any benefits to degrading plastic (using proteins or bacteria) if BPA/BPS will stay not degraded? From what I recon health harm comes not from plastic itself but from additives like BPA, BPS e. t. c.
Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#14How do you keep something like this from spreading and deteriorating plastics in things you don't want it to?
Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
What happens if eventually we find this protein in the wild? :)
We already make many things from materials that can be degraded by microbes (wood, cotton, leather, etc.). They can be preserved by keeping them dry, or with paint or other surface treatments. For the rare circumstances where this is impossible (e.g. medical devices) we have fluoropolymers, which I'm confident aren't going to get degraded by microbes any time soon.
A long time ago, wood (Lignin) wasn’t biodegradable. Trees just piled up instead of rotting. That resulted in oil deposits. These we turn into plastics.
Bacteria acquiring genes to feed on plastics would lead to closing the circle again. Although supply will be cut short when humanity gives up producing plastics.
Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#16I see similar articles or research like twice a year. And nothing ever comes of it.
seriously. I'd say more often than that even. is it that they are being used and we're just not hearing it, or is there something holding them back?
Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#17Nice. A few points: * This protein acts as a PETase - see also https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37659327 > - but may work at room temperature, and more efficiently * The term 'artificial protein' is a bit awkward - it's a modified version of an existing protein from an anemone (see : https://www.rcsb.org/structure/4tsy >) * The scaffold protein is a pore-forming structure - where multiple trans-membrane helices c…
"microplastics in bottles" is even more awkward - I mean, as long as they're part of a bottle, they're by definition not microplastics?
Maybe they're very very small bottles.
Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#18Microplastics are the "lead/asbestos poisoning" of our generation, and the problem is actually far more dire than either of the former. Someday, we will look back on how we could have ever allowed microplastics into our lives with shock and awe.
Why do we allow burning gigantic storages of carbohydrate fuels while we know full well that the planet's livability suffers from climate change?
Why do we allow fueling our energy plants and automobiles with fossil fuels that causes air pollution responsible for 1/5 deaths world wide? [0]
Why do we allow one-time use plastics and synthetic tire rubbers while knowing it causes irreversible microplastics pollution of land and sea?
... looking at you, fossil fuel lobbyists.
[0]: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/c-change/news/fossil-fuel-air-p...
Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#19Microplastics are the "lead/asbestos poisoning" of our generation, and the problem is actually far more dire than either of the former. Someday, we will look back on how we could have ever allowed microplastics into our lives with shock and awe.
it's fascinating to see in real time. you would think it would be Semmelweiss-esque - a lone discredited voice - but it's not. everyone seems to be fully aware of the problem and its likely dangers ... and yet the problem is as bad as ever
Re: Scientists create artificial protein that can degrade PET plastics in bottles
#20Is there any benefits to degrading plastic (using proteins or bacteria) if BPA/BPS will stay not degraded? From what I recon health harm comes not from plastic itself but from additives like BPA, BPS e. t. c.
Perfect is the enemy of good.
Plastic and Microplastics are an environmental hazard to animal life, with a specific threat to aquatic life. The plastic itself is a significant physical hazard for the life. The attached link has an incredible photo of a the scale of a small fish and various microplastics. It's important to note that currently there is no cost effective way for water treatment plants to filter for these.
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/microplast...