# Plastic-Eating Bacteria May Hold the Key to Combating Pollution! ♻️

**URL:** <https://onehack.st/t/plastic-eating-bacteria-may-hold-the-key-to-combating-pollution/292837>\
**Category:** News & Articles\
**Tags:** tools, technology, self-improvement\
**Created:** [October 5, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/plastic-eating-bacteria-may-hold-the-key-to-combating-pollution/292837 "2024-10-05T19:18:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TheJoker](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/thejoker/32/22660_2.png) [@TheJoker](https://onehack.st/u/TheJoker)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2024, 7:18pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/plastic-eating-bacteria-may-hold-the-key-to-combating-pollution/292837/1 "2024-10-05T19:18:32Z")

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**Summary:**

1. **Bacteria Discovery**  
Scientists have found that **Comamonas testosteroni** , a bacterium commonly found in wastewater, can break down **polyethylene terephthalate (PET)**, a plastic prevalent in single-use packaging and bottles.

2. **Plastic Waste Statistics**  
PET accounts for about **12%** of global solid waste, with **90 million tons** produced annually, making this discovery crucial in addressing pollution issues.

3. **Unique Feeding Mechanism**  
Unlike many bacteria that thrive on sugar, C. testosteroni can consume chemically complex materials, including plastics, which typically take longer to decompose.

4. **Breakdown Process**  
The research outlines a six-step process in which the bacteria first physically chew the plastic into smaller pieces and then use enzymes to chemically convert it into **terephthalate** , a carbon-rich food source.

5. **Decomposition Timeline**  
Although the bacteria can break down plastic, it takes several months to process larger chunks. To enhance efficiency, scientists are exploring ways to accelerate their growth by providing additional nutrients, such as acetate.

6. **Potential for Environmental Solutions**  
Researchers believe that harnessing the natural abilities of environmental microbes like C. testosteroni could lead to sustainable solutions for combating plastic pollution.

**Read more at:** [MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/plastic-eating-bacteria-could-combat-pollution-problems-scientists-hope/ar-AA1rFHUB) | [Environmental Science & Technology](https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.4c06645) | [NREL](https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2021/researchers-engineer-microorganisms-to-tackle-pet-plastic-pollution.html)

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**Author:** ![Darth\_Vader](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/darth_vader/32/97002_2.png) [@Darth\_Vader](https://onehack.st/u/Darth_Vader)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/plastic-eating-bacteria-may-hold-the-key-to-combating-pollution/292837/2 "2024-10-06T17:07:26Z")

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The bane of plastic surgeons around the world

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