Developed enzyme that breaks down plastic waste in 24 hours

The team at the University of Texas developed an enzyme that effectively degrades PET plastic at temperatures of 30 - 50 degrees Celsius and a variety of pH levels.

The method of using enzymes to break down plastic waste is reaping many breakthroughs, showing that they are increasingly efficient, can even turn materials into simple molecules. Research published in the journal Nature on April 27 marks another step forward when a team of experts at the University of Texas (USA) used machine learning technology to create an enzyme with the ability to break down certain forms of plastic only. for 24 hours and has high stability, suitable for large-scale application.

Scientists have been exploring the potential of enzymes to aid in plastic recycling for more than a decade, and some significant progress has taken place in the last six years or so. In 2016, Japanese researchers discovered a bacterium that uses enzymes to break down PET plastic in a matter of weeks. PETase, modified versions of these enzymes, further enhances performance. In 2020, scientists develop an even stronger version that digests PET plastic at six times the rate.

The team at the University of Texas wanted to overcome some of the enzyme's limitations. The application of this method, they say, is hampered by its inability to perform well at low temperatures and different pH levels, its lack of effectiveness in dealing with untreated plastic waste directly, its reaction speed, and its relative speed. slow.

New enzyme proved superior in degrading PET plastic at temperatures from 30 - 50 degrees C

The team of experts who developed a machine learning model that can predict which mutations in the PETase enzyme will give it remarkable capabilities. They studied a variety of PET plastic products, including containers, water bottles and fabrics, and then used the model to design and build a new innovative enzyme called FAST-PETase.

The new enzyme proved to be superior in degrading PET plastic at temperatures from 30 - 50 degrees Celsius and at many pH levels. It can almost completely decompose 51 different untreated PET products in a week's time. In some experiments, it even took just 24 hours to break down the plastic. The team also demonstrated a closed PET recycling process, in which FAST-PETase breaks down the plastic, then allowing the recovery of monomers to chemically regenerate the material.

"When considering environmental cleaning solutions, you need an enzyme that can function at normal ambient temperatures. This is what makes our technology so powerful in the future," the study's authors said. Hal Alper said.

New technology has the ability to quickly decompose plastic waste at low temperatures. Therefore, the team believes they have found a portable, affordable solution that can be applied on an industrial scale. They have filed a patent for the new technology and hope it will be used in landfills and polluted areas.