Bacteria found to eat PET plastics could help do the recycling

• Ideonella sakaiensis, A bacterium species capable of breaking down plastic has been identified by the scientists.
• The bacterium seems to feed exclusively on PET and breaks it down using just two enzymes.

Process of breaking PET

• These species link to the PET with tendril-like threads. They then use two enzymes sequentially to break down PET into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, the two substances from which it is manufactured and that are not harmful to the environment.
• The bacteria then digest both substances. This could mean they would be useful for getting rid of polluting plastics in the environment.
• Their ability to reconstitute the starting materials also lends them to recycling strategies. But the process takes a long time – about 6 weeks at 30°C to fully degrade a thumb-nail-sized piece of PET

About PET:

• It's a plastic resin and the most common type of polyester. Two monomers—modified ethylene glycol and purified terephthalic acid—are combined to form the polymer called polyethylene terephthalate. PET was discovered and patented in England in 1941.
• Many beverages, food items and other consumer products are delivered in bottles or packages made from PET. The #1 code is usually found on or near the bottom of the container.
• Manufacturers like it because it's safe, strong, transparent and versatile. Customers choose it for its safety, light weight, resealability, shatter-resistance and recyclability. Up to 100% of a PET package can be made from recycled PET, and the material can be recycled again and again.
• It's used to make new bottles, but recycled PET can also be made into fiber for carpets; fabric for t-shirts or fleece jackets; fiberfill for sleeping bags, winter coats, and dog beds; industrial strapping; sheet and thermoformed (clam shell) packaging; and automotive parts such as headliners, bumpers, and door panel.

By: Vishal