Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York, USA, have just created a bacterium called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can convert polyethylene in many single-use plastic items into a high-protein spider silk-like silk. This bio-silk product can be used in textiles, cosmetics and even medicine.
The silk can be as strong as steel when stretched, but is six times lighter than steel and is a stretchy, tough, non-toxic, biodegradable bioplastic, said Helen Zha, one of the researchers leading the project.
Polyethylene, found in products such as plastic bags, water bottles and food packaging, is the biggest contributor to plastic pollution globally and can take more than 1,000 years to decompose naturally.
Only a small fraction is recycled, so the bacteria used in the study could help “recycle” it faster. Meanwhile, the plastic-degrading process of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria requires little energy and does not require the use of toxic chemicals.
GIA BAO
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