5 ms·

This could theoretically treat free-floating microplastics in, e.g., the ocean, which you can't plausibly isolate in landfills.

• rootusrootus 4y ago
  Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't this process still assume that the plastic is collected and heated (not super hot, the claim seems to be "less than 50C")? In the case of the ocean, it doesn't seem like this technology would be useful until after we collect all the little bits of plastic. And at that point we could just put it in a landfill anyway.
  • faitswulff 4y ago
    Yeah, good point. Theoretically, a more optimized enzyme might be able to do it at ambient temperatures, which they mention in the article as a target. Assuming the search space for enzyme mutations isn't already exhausted.
    • nomel 4y ago
      > a more optimized enzyme might be able to do it at ambient temperatures Releasing this into the ocean, in any appreciable amount, seems like a very bad idea. I think collection from plastic "hot spots", and then separate processing, would make more sense. I think it's best to reduce the number of foreign chemicals in the environment.
      • deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
      • faitswulff 4y ago
        Wastewater treatment might be a good use for it to remove microplastics.
• deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]