Plastic pollution is a big problem. The good news is that a research team has finally found a microbe that eats plastic. Unlike natural polymers (such as cellulose in plants) plastics aren’t biodegradable. Bacteria and fungi co-evolved with natural materials, coming up with new biochemical methods to harness the resources from dead matter. But plastics have only been around for about 70 years. So micro-organisms simply haven’t had much time to evolve the necessary biochemical tool kit to break it down and turn it into chemicals they need to grow. But after testing 250 samples for 5 years, researchers have now found a culture that dissolves plastic.
Recycling 2.0: Scientists discover a plastic-eating bacteria
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