Plastics are a menace and take years to break down and degrade. But a new bacterial enzyme has been found now that can break down plastics within hours. The enzyme was originally found in a compost heap of leaves. The enzyme broke the plastics within hours and these could be used to recycle the same.
Carbios is the company that is claimed to have discovered the bacterial enzyme. The company is looking forward to tie up with multinationals for recycling PET bottles. The planet is polluted with billions of plastic bottles.
The discovery of the bacterial enzyme has come up in the Nature Journal. Chief Science Officer at Carbios Alain Marty said that the bacterial enzyme turned out to be the best in breaking down plastics in a short time. The scientists introduced mutations to the enzyme and improved its ability to break down the plastic. They also made it stable at 72 degree Celsius, which was close to perfect temperature for fast degradation. They could break down a tonne of waste plastic bottles within ten hours. They then used the broken pieces create new bottles.
The company claimed that they were the first to bring this technology to the market. With the new enzyme, there could be much relief to plastic waste.
Scientists the world over are for the last many years in the research of finding out biological ways to break down plastics. A Bug was found by German scientists of eating on plastics last month.
