<
https://phys.org/news/2024-01-enzyme-laundry-detergent-recycle-plastics.html>
'Scientists at King's College London have developed an innovative solution for
recycling single-use bioplastics commonly used in disposable items such as
coffee cups and food containers.
The novel method of chemical recycling, published in
Cell Reports Physical
Science, uses enzymes typically found in biological laundry detergents to
"depolymerize"—or break down—landfill-bound bioplastics. Rapidly converting the
items into soluble fragments within just 24 hours, the process achieves full
degradation of the bioplastic polylactic acid (PLA). The approach is 84 times
faster than the 12-week-long industrial composting process used for recycling
bioplastic materials.
This discovery offers a widespread recycling solution for single-use PLA
plastics, as the team of chemists at King's found that in a further 24 hours at
a temperature of 90°C, the bioplastics break down into their chemical building
blocks. Once converted into monomers—single molecules—the materials can be
turned into equally high-quality plastic for multiple reuse.'
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
