Global plastic production continues to increase due to the demand for cheap, durable, and versatile materials. They discovered that a common insect can chew sizable holes in a plastic shopping bag within 40. Wriggling critters armed with enzymes can break down plastics that would otherwise take decades, or even centuries to degrade
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At first glance there's nothing particularly remarkable about.
The tiny waxworm may hold the key to contending with one of our biggest environmental problems
New research shows that “plastivore caterpillars” can break down plastics in just days, converting them into body fat Cassone’s team, using diverse scientific methods, studied the. The waxworms can degrade plastic thanks to two enzymes in their saliva that oxidize and depolymerize the plastic. Researchers have identified a pair of enzymes in wax worm saliva that naturally break down a common form of plastic within a few hours at room temperature
Polyethylene is among the most widely used plastics in the world, having uses in everything from food containers to shopping bags. In a study published tuesday in the journal nature communications, researchers discovered that enzymes in the saliva of wax worms can readily degrade polyethylene, a common form of plastic. But a team of european scientists may have found a unique solution to the plastic problem
