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Fungi found in Amazon eats plastic, could solve world waste problem

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P

planar1280

Banned
http://mashable.com/2012/03/07/plastic-eating-fungi/

A group of students and professors from Yale University have found a fungi in the Amazon rainforest that can degrade and utilize the common plastic polyurethane (PUR). As part of the university’s Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory educational program, designed to engage undergraduate students in discovery-based research, the group searched for plants and cultured the micro-organisms within their tissue.

Several active organisms were identified, including two distinct isolates of Pestalotiopsis microspora with the ability to efficiently degrade and utilize PUR as the sole carbon source when grown anaerobically, a unique observation among reported PUR biodegradation activities.

Polyurethane is a big part of our mounting waste problem and this is a new possible solution for managing it. The fungi can survive on polyurethane alone and is uniquely able to do so in an oxygen-free environment. The Yale University team has published its findings in the article ‘Biodegradation of Polyester Polyurethane by Endophytic Fungi’ for the Applied and Environmental Microbiology journal.
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findings: http://aem.asm.org/content/77/17/6076.full
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
It could solve our waste problem.
It'll probably just end society instead, lol.
 
V

Verelios

Member
Wow. Sounds like a good alternative, but what exactly did they set out to do in the Amazon?

I ask because when I was a Bio-major, I studied Fungi etc, but it was always for a specific reason.
 
S

Smithy C

Member
But what does it to with it after it's eaten? Surely it must turn it into something, like regular trees turn co2 into oxygen.
 
L

les papillons sexuels

Banned
unfortunately, these organisms are probably already patented by some corportation, and that company will do everything they can to ensure that they dont get put into use. Just like the oil cosuming bacteria.
 
S

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
les papillons sexuels said:
unfortunately, these organisms are probably already patented by some corportation, and that company will do everything they can to ensure that they dont get put into use. Just like the oil cosuming bacteria.
Click to expand...

Why? Nobody profits from the fact that PVC is a bitch. somebody could profit from it not being a bitch.
 
O

Outlaw

Banned
The Amazon rainforest?

avatar%20military.jpg
 
Z

Zzoram

Member
les papillons sexuels said:
unfortunately, these organisms are probably already patented by some corportation, and that company will do everything they can to ensure that they dont get put into use. Just like the oil cosuming bacteria.
Click to expand...

Are oil eating bacteria real and if so, why weren't they used for the gulf of Mexico oil spill?
 
Machine

Machine

Member
I've seen this movie. It's all good until the bacteria gets out and starts eating the plastic in our cars, airplanes, computers, etc. Suddenly jets are falling from the sky, cars fall apart, and our smart phones aren't so smart anymore.
 
T

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
Machine said:
I've seen this movie. It's all good until the bacteria gets out and starts eating the plastic in our cars, airplanes, computers, etc. Suddenly jets are falling from the sky, cars fall apart, and our smart phones aren't so smart anymore.
Click to expand...

Damn now I want to read The Andromeda Strain again
 
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