Case, Justin
Title:
Testing the Effectiveness of PET Plastic-Eating Microbes at NAU
Abstract:
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a commonly used thermoplastic polymer resin found in everyday items such as clothing and containers for food and liquid. Plastics, such as PET, have poor biodegradability and persist in landfills for extended periods of time. PET is chemically inactive and highly resistant to microbial attack. The crystallinity of PET influences the density and hardness of the material increasing resistance to degradation.
At Northern Arizona University (NAU), high-crystallinity PET exists in the form of single-use plastic drinking bottles, such as Pepsi, and “to-go” containers. Studies have shown the plausibility of using microorganisms to break down low-crystallinity PET. Ideonella sakaiensis is a microorganism capable of hydrolyzing PET using the enzymes, PETase and MHETase. This hydrolysis performed by I. sakaiensis, could prove useful in pursuit of an effective process to degrade PET. The main goal is to provide a practical way of treating large quantities of plastic waste stored in landfills and produced on college campuses like NAU.
This project has been examining the effects of scaling successful experimental methods to a size that would aid NAU in removing it's carbon footprint as well as how the efficiency of the microorganisms involved would react. PETase has been seen to degrade low-crystallinity PET at a rate of 0.13 mg/cm2 per day. If the hydrolysis of high-crystallinity PET proves successful and practical, its application along with the breakdown of low-crystallinity PET could decrease the quantity of plastic waste extruded by NAU.
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Case, Justin
Category
Green Fund Project