Yes, the same germ that can give people the runs.
E. coliserved a very different purpose in this project, though.
colithat converts some of the molecules naturally found in the bacteria into monomers for PDK.
Brett Helms and Corinne Scown of the Berkeley Lab hold up pieces of their infinitely recyclable plastic.© Thor Swift/Berkeley Lab
Monomers are the building blocks of plastic, which then link together to make polymers.
PDKs working temperature range was up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius).
They were also concerned about the effects of plastic waste on human health and the environment.
© Vicky Leta/Gizmodo
Think about how much weve learned about microplastics and PFAS just in the last few years, Scown said.
Why theyre a winner
Petrochemical plastic accounts for99% of plastic producedworldwide.
Its a lot cheaper to produce new, virgin plastic made from petrochemicals than to recycle it.
A GIF demonstrating how PDK plastic breaks down in an acidic solution, with the acid separating resin monomers from chemical additives, allowing the monomers to be fully reused in new products. Image: Peter Christensen/ Berkeley Lab
On a global scale, humans produce about 400 million tons of plastic waste per year.
In early April, Helmscoauthored a new studythat used different types of MRI methods to reveal plastics undergoing deconstruction.
The team
Helms, Scown, and Keasling of the Berkeley Lab served as the projects leads.
Click here to see all of thewinners of the 2024 Gizmodo Science Fair.
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