Lucky accident - scientists strengthen plastic eating bacteria

17 May 2019

Lucky accident – scientists strengthen plastic eating bacteria

Scientists have accidentally strengthened a bacterium that can eat plastic. The accident has been welcomed because of how this can help to decompose and recycle plastic.

To decompose something means to break it down completely so that it is no longer harmful for the environment.

A single plastic bottle, commonly made of PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) takes 450 to 1000 years to decompose.

Plastics were invented in 1907. It was in 2016, that a bacterium was discovered that could decompose plastic!

The bacterium was named Ideonella Sakaiensis. It was found in a garbage dump in Japan.

It produced a substance that has been named ‘PETase enzyme’. This enzyme decomposes PET plastic.

In April 2018, while studying the enzyme, scientists accidentally strengthened it. The lucky accident has sped up the process of breaking down PET plastic. Now, instead of 450-1000 years, a PET plastic can be decomposed in just a few days!

*decompose  - to break down completely so that it is no longer harmful for the environment

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

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Scientists have accidentally strengthened a bacterium that can eat plastic. The accident has been welcomed because of how this can help to decompose and […]

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