It is not an unknown fact that the use of plastic water bottles is popular. People are also aware of the fact that they can take hundreds of years to break down in the environment. This doesn’t stop people from using them daily and just throwing them in the trash.
An enzyme originally discovered in Japan has now been modified to break down PET, the plastic commonly found it water bottles, in only a few days. This could allow for plastics to be reused much more efficiently and effectively than they are now. “It’s very important in today’s society to continue to fight pollution in any way we can,” says senior Lucy Foley. “Starting with plastic water bottles, many consumers fail to dispose of them properly leaving them filling landfills. There are many alternatives to combat plastic water bottles now, including this new invention; constantly in my day to day life I see overuse of the plastic bottles and them being thrown into the trash.”
The enzyme, known as Ideonella sakaiensis, uses plastic as its main source of energy. The modified version is named PETase and allows it to do so faster. Polyester, which PET belongs to, is not found naturally in nature, which is why it has become such a problem. “PET has only been around in vast quantities over the last 50 years,” states Professor John McGeehan. “So it’s actually not a very long timescale for a bacteria to have evolved to eat something so man-made.” McGeehan is involved with the current study of the enzyme and recognizes that it took millions of years for bacteria to evolve to protect plant leaves.
The goal of this enzyme is to allow for proper recycling of these ever so popular water bottles rather than allowing them to sit for hundreds of years untouched. The issue of pollution requires many movements in order for to find a more permanent solution, but PETase could definitely help take a step in the right direction.
