While new solutions are constantly being developed against plastic waste, one of the biggest threats of our time, a new one has joined these today. Scientists have made a great discovery that can make the plastic thrown into nature disappear naturally.
According to research published in the journal Nature, plastic in nature can be destroyed with the help of ‘waxworm’. According to scientists, some enzymes found in this worm species ensure that “polyethylene”, which is widely used in many plastic products, is destroyed in just a few hours at room temperature.
The discovery was purely accidental:
These enzymes, which will destroy the polyethylene used in bags and packaging, were actually discovered by chance. Molecular biologist Federica Bertocchini, who is also an amateur beekeeper, one day saw that the beehive she had put in the warehouse was full of wolves. Bertocchini then collected these worms and put them all in a plastic bag.
But soon after, looking back at the bag, Bertocchini saw that it was full of holes. After this incident, Bertocchini and his team began to study wolves. In the examination, it was seen that two enzymes named ‘Demetra’ and ‘Ceres’ oxidized polyethylene.
Other creatures that can destroy plastic have also been discovered before:
Waxworms did not go down in history as the first creatures to destroy plastic. In 2016, scientists discovered a bacterium that could destroy polyester in a landfill in Japan. In 2021, some microbes and bacteria were discovered that live in the oceans and soil and have evolved to digest plastic.
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