Plastics can be found in every corner of the world. Plastic components can be found in nearly everything we depend on every day, from food packaging to phones and computers, medical devices, and car parts. With nearly all plastic materials are made from petroleum, scientists are looking for more sustainable, biodegradable and less toxic alternatives. We’ll explore bioplastics in the U.S. National Science Foundation’s “Discovery Files”.
Bioplastics are made from renewable sources such as sugarcane and corn, or from the digest of microbes such as yeast. Some are biodegradable or even compostable.
Two new studies by NSF-supported biologists at Washington University in St. Louis, have found a game-changing source of bioplastics. Two relatively obscure species of purple bacteria produce natural polymers that can be purified to make plastic.
The researchers additionally showed that genetic engineering could cause some species of purple bacteria to dramatically ramp up its production of these polymers. Potentially turning them into microscopic bioplastic factories.
The aquatic purple bacteria microbes naturally produce the building blocks of bioplastics to store extra carbon. Under the right conditions, they can keep producing those polymers indefinitely.
This research could revolutionize how we use plastics in modern life, demonstrating a potential source of completely biodegradable bioplastics that can be produced without adding carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
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