(Funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy)
Researchers from Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered how certain bacteria are breaking down plastic for food. First, they chew the plastic into small pieces, called nanoplastics. Then, they secrete a specialized enzyme that breaks down the plastic even further. Finally, the bacteria use a ring of carbon atoms from the plastic as a food source, the researchers found. The discovery opens new possibilities for developing bacteria-based engineering solutions to help clean up difficult-to-remove plastic waste, which pollutes drinking water and harms wildlife.
https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2024/10/wastewater-bacteria-can-breakdown-plastic-for-food/
