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A team of Japanese scientists has identified a bacteria capable of breaking down PET, a widely used plastic polymer, as reported by New Scientist. This breakthrough could pave the way for innovative solutions to address the global plastic pollution crisis.
While certain plastics may take 450 to 1000 years to degrade, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) remains virtually indestructible. This makes the discovery of Ideonella sakaiensis, a bacteria that can decompose PET, particularly groundbreaking. As detailed in a recent Science publication, the bacteria managed to break down a small PET fragment in just six weeks at 30°C during lab experiments. Using its filamentous appendages, I. sakaiensis attaches to the plastic and employs two enzymes to convert PET into harmless chemical compounds, which it then consumes.
The bacteria was discovered during an investigation into the microbial communities inhabiting discarded PET items collected by the researchers. The team speculates that I. sakaiensis exclusively feeds on PET, and its ability to do so likely evolved within the past 80 years, coinciding with the advent of these plastics.
Scientists estimate that more than 5 trillion plastic fragments, totaling 269,000 tons, are polluting the world's oceans. This discovery could lead to innovative approaches for tackling plastic waste, potentially leveraging genetic engineering. Although I. sakaiensis takes six weeks to decompose a single piece of plastic, transferring its enzyme-producing genes to E. coli bacteria might accelerate the process. The complete findings are available in the March 11 edition of Science.
