Enzyme discovery could change the 'war on plastic waste'

(Dan Tri) - An enzyme variant created by engineers and scientists can decompose plastics that pollute the environment in just a few hours to a few days.

The global fight against plastic pollution is seeing significant progress, as scientists around the world focus on enzymatic solutions to break down plastic.

Notably, a team of engineers and scientists from the University of Texas at Austin has made a spectacular breakthrough: successfully developing a mutant enzyme capable of decomposing PET plastic in just 24 hours, significantly shortening the time it takes in hundreds of years under natural conditions.

Applying advanced machine learning technology, the research team has improved natural enzymes, increased decomposition efficiency and opened a promising direction for environmentally friendly plastic recycling technology.

This work is not only a breakthrough in the field of enzyme technology, but also an important foundation, contributing to building a circular economy and promoting sustainable biological solutions for the future.

Plastic-eating enzyme could eliminate billions of tons of landfill waste

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/tim-thay-loai-enzyme-co-the-thay-doi-cuoc-chien-rac-thai-nhua-20250605113249216.htm