There is a war going on in the world of science, and the battlefield is the most unlikely: plastic. On one side, the indestructible enemy that is suffocating our oceans. On the other, a microscopic army of hungry bacteria, ready to devour this modern scourge. And in the middle? A new plastic that could change the rules of the game.
The new plastic that eats itself
A team of Chinese researchers has pulled something truly unexpected out of their hat: a new plastic that self-destructs in just 30 days. It's not magic, but pure and simple biological engineering. It was born almost 10 years ago, in 2016, in a recycling plant in Japan.
There, for the first time, an incredible discovery was made: some bacteria had developed the ability to eat plastic. Since then, scientists have identified several other bacterial species with this extraordinary ability. And they have refined them to the development presented today.
An unlikely alliance: plastic and bacteria
The researchers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences led by the biologist Chenwang Tang they have created a new plastic that directly incorporates plastic-eating bacteria. It's as if they had placed a small army of demolition workers inside the walls of a castle, ready to spring into action at the right moment.
How does this “living” plastic work? Bacterial spores, as mentioned, have been incorporated directly into the structure of PCL (polycaprolactone) plastic. These spores are like small dormant capsules, which “wake up” when the plastic begins to degrade. At that point, they release enzymes that further accelerate the decomposition process. It's a bit like it contains its own self-destruct system.
An innovation that stands the test of time (and carbonated drinks)
But it doesn't stop there. Researchers wanted to make sure this plastic was up to the challenges of the real world. So they submerged it in Sprite for 60 days (yes, you read that right, Sprite, my favorite soft drink by the way) and guess what? It remained stable.
This means it could be used to create packaging that is durable, but still ready to decompose when its life cycle is over.
They'd better hurry up: over the last twenty years, plastic production has doubled, creating a real environmental emergency. This new technology could really represent a crucial turning point. Imagine a world where waste disappears within a month instead of persisting for centuries.
Isn't all that glitters gold?
Of course, like any great innovation, this one raises some questions. What happens if this plastic starts to decompose sooner than expected? And what might be the implications for the ecosystem if we release large quantities of these bacteria into the environment? These are questions that research will need to answer.
In any case, the research, published on Nature Chemical Biology (I link it to you here), paves the way for a future where plastic is no longer an enemy of the environment, but an ally. A future where we can use practical and resistant materials without the burden on our conscience of damaging the planet.
The battle against plastic pollution is far from won, but this new “living” plastic could be the secret weapon we’ve been waiting for.
