Amazing, Scientists Successfully Recycle Plastic Bottles Into Important Chemicals

RIAU24.COM – Scientists from the University of Edinburgh have succeeded in converting plastic bottles into the chemical vanillin, marking the first time a valuable chemical has been created from plastic waste.

As reported by The Guardian, the researchers were able to do so using genetically engineered bacteria.

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This step of recycling plastic bottles into more profitable materials can make the recycling process more interesting and effective.

Today, plastic loses 95% of its value as a material after a single use, so encouraging better waste collection and use is key to tackling the global plastic pollution problem.

Previously, researchers had developed a mutant enzyme to break down the plastic used for beverage bottles into its basic unit called terephthalic acid (TA).

With this new research, scientists have now used genetically engineered bacteria to convert TA into vanillin, which is widely used in the food and cosmetic industries.

In fact, vanillin is an important bulk chemical used to make pharmaceuticals, cleaning products, and herbicides.

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Joanna Sadler, who conducted the research at the University of Edinburgh, said: “This is the first example of the use of biological systems to recycle plastic waste into valuable industrial chemicals and has very interesting implications for the circular economy.”

Global demand for vanilla is growing and in 2018 alone, it was 37,000 tonnes which far exceeds the supply from natural vanilla beans.

However, 85% of vanillin is currently synthesized from chemicals derived from fossil fuels. Therefore, with this new process to convert plastic into vanillin, it is proving to be more beneficial for the environment.

Stephen Wallace, part of the research team commented, “Our work challenges the perception that plastic is problematic waste and instead demonstrates its use as a new carbon source from which high-value products can be made.”

The research is published in the journal Green Chemistry where they document how the study used E coli bacteria to convert TA to vanillin.

Currently, researchers are finding ways to alter the bacteria to increase conversion rates higher than the current 79% rate.

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