![]() ![]() 'Plastics stay in the environment for a long time. 'The very same features that make plastic the unique and useful material it is are creating one of the most critical problems of this century,' Bertocchini said. Plastic is made of polymers designed to be hard to break down and contains additives that increase durability, meaning it can remain intact for years, decades or centuries. This is 'changing the paradigm of plastic biodegradation,' said molecular biologist Federica Bertocchini of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), who led the study. The researchers found that the enzymes performed this step within hours without the need for pre-treatment such as applying heat or radiation. Researchers said their study showed that the insect saliva may be 'a depository of degrading enzymes which could revolutionise '.įor plastic to degrade, oxygen must penetrate the polymer – or plastic molecule – in an important initial step called oxidation. ![]()
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