The Washington Post reports on scientists who have "identified that bacteria typically found in wastewater can decompose plastic, transforming it into a viable food source—an advancement researchers believe may offer a promising solution to one of the planet's significant pollution challenges." In a study published on Thursday in Environmental Science and Technology, scientists detailed their investigation into Comamonas testosteroni, a bacterium that thrives on polyethylene terephthalate (PET)—a plastic prevalent in single-use food packaging and water bottles. PET constitutes approximately 12 percent of global solid waste and accounts for 90 million tons of the plastic generated annually.
Distinct from most bacteria that predominantly consume sugar, C. testosteroni exhibits a more sophisticated dietary preference, which includes complex chemical materials derived from both plants and plastics that are slower to degrade. The researchers are pioneering in their demonstration that this bacterium can decompose plastic and elucidate the precise mechanisms involved. Through a comprehensive six-step process, utilizing advanced imaging and gene-editing techniques, they discovered that the bacteria initially physically fragment plastic into smaller pieces. Subsequently, they release enzymes—cellular components that accelerate chemical reactions—to chemically convert the plastic into a carbon-rich nutrient known as terephthalate.
According to Rebecca Wilkes, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the bacteria require several months to decompose plastic fragments. Therefore, to enhance the efficiency of these bacteria as bioremediation agents, significant optimization is necessary to accelerate their pollutant degradation rate. One proposed method for promoting bacterial growth involves supplying them with an additional nutrient source, such as a compound called acetate. A senior author of the study and associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northwestern University remarked to the Washington Post, "The capabilities inherent in environmental microbes represent a largely unexplored potential for discovering sustainable solutions that we can leverage."
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