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Topics * Week's top * Latest news * Unread news * Subscribe SCIENCE X ACCOUNT Remember me Sign In Click here to sign in with or Forget Password? Not a member? Sign up Learn more * Nanotechnology * Physics * Earth * Astronomy & Space * Chemistry * Biology * Other Sciences * Medicine * Technology * * share this! * 14 * 10 * Share * Email 1. Home 2. Chemistry 3. Biochemistry 1. Home 2. Chemistry 3. Polymers * * * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 9, 2023 DEGRADATION OF PLASTIC WASTE USING NEWLY DEVELOPED BIOCATALYSTS by Jan Meßerschmidt, Universität Greifswald Graphical Abstract.B iodegradation of water-soluble PVA by microorganisms is slow and frequently involves pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent enzymes. In this study, we present a modified PVA film with improved properties as well as a PQQ-independent novel enzymatic cascade consisting of a lipase, an alcohol dehydrogenase and a Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase for the degradation of modified and unmodified PVA. Credit: Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2023). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216962 The plastic materials polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol can now be degraded under mild conditions with the help of enzymes as biocatalysts. Scientists from the University of Greifswald have developed corresponding methods together with the German company Covestro and teams from Leipzig and Dublin, as recently published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition in two separate articles. It has thus been possible to establish a sustainable and environmentally-friendly process to recycle these polymers. This helps to address the worldwide problem of plastic waste based on the example of these two synthetic polymers, which are produced industrially at large scale. Plastics are currently indispensable for the production of construction materials, electric insulation, drinks and food packaging, textiles and many more applications. Unfortunately, the mass production of synthetic polymers, especially for packaging materials, has led to an enormous waste problem for the environment. The polymers polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol contribute to approximately 8 percent of the European plastic production. For several years methods to achieve an environmentally-friendly recycling of plastics have been the subject of intense investigations. This would not only relieve the environment, but also reduce the amount of petrol required to make new plastics chemically. Furthermore, less of the greenhouse gas CO2 would be emitted by garbage incineration plants that currently burn plastic waste. Polyurethanes (PUR) are used for the production of mattresses, insulating materials, thermoplasts (i.e. for sport shoes) and for coatings (sealants, painting, glues). Chemical methods have been developed for the degradation of these compounds, but they require high amounts of energy as high temperatures and pressures are required. Biotechnological methods using microorganisms or enzymes as natural biocatalysts represent an alternative as they enable the degradation and especially recycling—the isolation of the building blocks to make new plastics—at moderate temperatures of no more than 40°C and without the use of chemical reagents. Prof. Dr. Uwe Bornscheuer's team at the University of Greifswald's Institute of Biochemistry, together with scientists from the company Covestro (Leverkusen), has now identified the key enzymes, which are able to degrade polyurethane into its building blocks after a chemical pretreatment. "The search for these specific biocatalysts was very laborious as we had to screen about two million candidates in order to discover the first three enzymes, which have been proven to break the special chemical bond present in polyurethanes," explains Ph.D. student Yannick Branson (University of Greifswald), describing the challenge of this project. "With this ground-breaking discovery we now have the precondition to tailor-design these biocatalysts using methods of protein engineering that aim to develop an industrial recycling of polyurethanes," explains Prof. Dr. Uwe Bornscheuer (University of Greifswald) further. "Using these newly identified enzymes, we get much closer to our target of a circular economy for the polymer industry," adds Dr. Gernot Jäger, head of the Competence Center for Biotechnology at Covestro AG (Leverkusen). Polyvinyl alcohols (PVA) have versatile properties and are also widely applied, for instance for the coating of fibers and as foils for packaging. So far, no mature processes exist for the degradation of PVA. Here, the team of Professor Bornscheuer was also able to develop the basic principles for a biotechnological process together with a polymer expert from the University College Dublin (Ireland) and scientists from Leipzig. The degradation of PVA could be achieved through the elegant combination of three different enzymes, which are then able to modify the polymer in a stepwise fashion to obtain fragments of the polymer, which then can be used for its recycling. More information: Yannick Branson et al, Urethanases for the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Low Molecular Weight Carbamates and the Recycling of Polyurethanes, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2023). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216220 Gerlis von Haugwitz et al, Synthesis of Modified Poly(vinyl Alcohol)s and Their Degradation Using an Enzymatic Cascade, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2023). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216962 Journal information: Angewandte Chemie International Edition Provided by Universität Greifswald Citation: Degradation of plastic waste using newly developed biocatalysts (2023, February 9) retrieved 15 February 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-02-degradation-plastic-newly-biocatalysts.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Explore further An overview of plastics waste management and its sustainable approaches -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 shares * Facebook * Twitter * Email Feedback to editors * Featured * Last Comments * Popular USING CRISPR-CAS9 TO KNOCK OUT ASPARAGINE GENE IN WHEAT TO REDUCE CANCER RISK 2 hours ago 0 STUDY INVESTIGATES MAGNETIC FIELD OF AN EXTREMELY ULTRALUMINOUS X-RAY PULSAR 3 hours ago 0 OLDEST FOSSIL RECORD OF LARVAL NEUROPTERANS FOUND IN INNER MONGOLIA 3 hours ago 0 SCIENTISTS DECIPHER HOW NON-RESISTANT FORMS OF STAPH AUREUS THWART ANTIBIOTICS, ALMOST LIKE A SUPERBUG 6 hours ago 0 MODIFIED CRISPR/CAS9 GENE EDITING SYSTEM USED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF GIANT VIRUSES Feb 14, 2023 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW APPROACH FOR MAJORANA RESEARCH IN SHORT NANOWIRES 15 minutes ago A 'ZINC' IN THE ARMOR: COULD METAL HELP COMBAT COMMON SUPERBUG? 21 minutes ago VEGANISM MAY NOT SAVE THE PLANET: STUDY SUGGESTS LIMITED MEAT CONSUMPTION BETTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, ANIMALS 30 minutes ago DETECTING RAPIDLY MUTATING BACTERIA AND VIRUSES WITH AUTOPLP 31 minutes ago SCIENTISTS FIND FIRST EVIDENCE THAT BLACK HOLES ARE THE SOURCE OF DARK ENERGY 1 hour ago RESEARCHERS DISCOVER NEW MATERIAL TO 'TRAP AND STORE VOLATILE GASES' 1 hour ago INSECT BITE MARKS SHOW FIRST FOSSIL EVIDENCE FOR PLANTS' LEAVES FOLDING UP AT NIGHT 1 hour ago ENGINEERED MAGIC: WOODEN SEED CARRIERS MIMIC THE BEHAVIOR OF SELF-BURYING SEEDS 2 hours ago BEFORE GLOBAL WARMING, WAS THE EARTH COOLING DOWN OR HEATING UP? 2 hours ago TOWARDS DEFECT ENGINEERING: IDENTIFYING UNIVERSAL STRUCTURES ON THE ATOMIC SCALE 2 hours ago * 1 * 2 * RELATED STORIES AN OVERVIEW OF PLASTICS WASTE MANAGEMENT AND ITS SUSTAINABLE APPROACHES Nov 8, 2022 ENGINEERING ENZYMES TO HELP SOLVE THE PLANET'S PLASTIC PROBLEM Aug 11, 2022 PLASTICS OF THE FUTURE WILL LIVE MANY PAST LIVES, THANKS TO CHEMICAL RECYCLING Sep 26, 2022 ACCELERATING PLASTIC DEGRADATION IN THE ENVIRONMENT: STUDY RESEARCHES HEAT RESISTANCE OF ENZYMES Nov 30, 2022 DEVELOPING A DEGRADATION-TRIGGERABLE PLASTIC MADE OF VANILLIN Jun 13, 2022 NEW STUDY COULD REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY WE RECYCLE Oct 21, 2019 * RECOMMENDED FOR YOU DETECTING RAPIDLY MUTATING BACTERIA AND VIRUSES WITH AUTOPLP 31 minutes ago 'MAGIC' SOLVENT CREATES STRONGER THIN FILMS 22 hours ago SCIENTISTS REENGINEER CANCER DRUGS TO BE MORE VERSATILE Feb 14, 2023 A NEW CLASS OF MEDICINAL COMPOUNDS THAT TARGET RNA Feb 13, 2023 TRACKING THE HAPPINESS HORMONE: ELECTROCHEMICAL SEROTONIN MICROSENSORS FOR STABLE LONG-TERM MEASUREMENT IN REAL TIME Feb 13, 2023 NEW METHOD FOR QUANTIFYING THE STRUCTURE OF MESSENGER RNA–BASED MEDICATIONS Feb 13, 2023 Load comments (0) LET US KNOW IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH OUR CONTENT Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. 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