of plastic is generated
of plastic enters the ocean
die from plastic entanglement
We must MANAGE our plastic waste
But HOW?
involve melting and reshaping the plastic to make new products, which proves to be a costly and time-consuming process. Recycled plastic has lower quality and usability as heating degrades its original chemical structure, making it impossible to compete with virgin plastic on the market.
are groundbreaking enzymes that can degrade PET into its constituent components, TPA and EG.
We took the bacterial genes that encode PETase and MHETase ...
... and transferred them into E.coli.
The bacteria could then multiply ...
... and secrete the enzymes.
We then grew microorganisms that utilized these monomers as nutrients and produced their own proteins during their lifecycle.
We quantified the amount of protein obtained within our biomass. The following step would be analyzing it to ensure its safety for human consumption.
Advantages?
Fast, sustainable, and EFFICIENT - we can now recycle PET at a MOLECULAR level!