Researchers Find a Fungus that Can Break Down Plastic in Weeks in Pakistan

[kris]

All these plastic eating organisms need an obligatory environment & conditions to break plastic

Research is needed to bring it to economic scale

 

[war&peace]

How can you say that? Bilawal is an icon of the YOUTH and as such he can make a difference. Pakistan needs to wake up and bring in fresh blood into politics who know how the 21st century works. I have my full confidence that PPP under Bilawal can bring in such technology and RAISE THE BAR

AGLEE BARI PHIR ZARDARI

I suppose you are being sarcastic.

Japan found some plastic eating bacteria ( https://phys.org/news/2016-03-newly-bacteria-plastic-bottles.html ) and some Irish researchers found some that eat styrofoam https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bacteria-turn-styrofoam-i/. They then found some worms that eat plastic http://news.stanford.edu/pr/2015/pr-worms-digest-plastics-092915.html.

Thanks for the addition and corroboration so similar discoveries have been made. But my point is since these discoveries have been made quite some time ago, why have these not been put to work? Perhaps these are not as successful as we think. I read that the pace was too slow and required huge number of these organisms and large area to get some benefits. Further research is perhaps necessary.
Perhaps it could the difference this time and fungi are more effective. Also we should look into to genetic modification to increase their appetite for plastic.

 

[Sugarcane]

Looks like the fungus is influenced by the politicians and other corrupts of Pakistan as they are mostly found in Islamabad and have adopted the trait of "Eat/Destroy whatever you can get hold off".

 

[I spikes therefore I am]

Another crap article with no use. What is the impact factor of that journal OP? it will tell the worthy of work.

 

[CHACHA"G"]

'Plastic-Eating' Fungus Found In Pakistan Garbage Dump (IBT)

Several tons of waste plastics are generated every day, and according to a study published in ScienceMag, there has been a mind-numbing 6.3 billion tons of it since humans began producing plastics.

We know that plastic is a major pollutant, tough to break down organically, producing toxic fumes when burnt and often entering the food chain because of its longevity.

With the study projecting that plastic waste is only going to increase in the future, it is imperative to find a way to dispose of these immortal polymers safely.

Over time, there have been many efforts made to get around the problem. People usually resort to burying large amount of plastic in landfills, burning it with piles of garbage or recycling it. However, there has been no way to get rid of plastic waste in a harmless way.

Now a study published by scientists from Pakistan and China from World Agroforestry Centre and Kunming Institute of Botany, China, in journal Environmental Pollution might provide a solution to this nagging problem.

Samples extracted from a rubbish dump outside Islamabad in Pakistan showed a soil fungus feeding on plastic, the study says.

Dr Sehroon Khan, head of the study titled “Biodegradation of Polyester Polyurethane by Aspergillus tubingensis,” said in a release by World Agroforestry, “We wanted to identify solutions which already existed in nature, but finding microorganisms which can do the job isn’t easy.”

However, the team was pleasantly surprised with a sample they had taken from the garbage dump in the Pakistani capital.

The fungus called Aspergillus tubingensis, which lives in soil, was found to also grow on plastic and secrete a enzyme that breaks down the polymer molecules.

The team found that the fungus used the strength of its mycelia – the network of root-like filaments grown by fungi – to help break apart the polymers. Even plastics which would otherwise persist in the environment for years can be broken down by the fungus in weeks, the scientists say.

The fungus was tested with plastic in all three states — solid, liquid and gas and gave effective results.

However, the fungus’ performance is affected by a number of factors including pH levels, temperature and the type of culture medium used. The team thinks that figuring these factors out could be key to large-scale use of the fungus for treating plastic waste.

The study of fungus is still a growing field, and researchers say a number of fungi are yet to be discovered. Understanding fungi and harnessing them could be an organic way out to many of the world’s problems, the team notes.


“Our team’s next goal is to determine the ideal conditions for fungal growth and plastic degradation, looking at factors such as pH levels, temperature and culture mediums,” said Dr Khan. “This could pave the way for using the fungus in waste treatment plants, or even in soils which are already contaminated by plastic waste.”

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...ge-dump/ar-AAsneXF?li=AAmiR2Z&ocid=spartanntp

http://www.ibtimes.com/plastic-eating-fungus-found-pakistan-garbage-dump-2593226

@Khafee , @war&peace , @!eon , @django , @Clutch , @Hyperion

 

[ali_raza]

'Plastic-Eating' Fungus Found In Pakistan Garbage Dump (IBT)

Several tons of waste plastics are generated every day, and according to a study published in ScienceMag, there has been a mind-numbing 6.3 billion tons of it since humans began producing plastics.

We know that plastic is a major pollutant, tough to break down organically, producing toxic fumes when burnt and often entering the food chain because of its longevity.

With the study projecting that plastic waste is only going to increase in the future, it is imperative to find a way to dispose of these immortal polymers safely.

Over time, there have been many efforts made to get around the problem. People usually resort to burying large amount of plastic in landfills, burning it with piles of garbage or recycling it. However, there has been no way to get rid of plastic waste in a harmless way.

Now a study published by scientists from Pakistan and China from World Agroforestry Centre and Kunming Institute of Botany, China, in journal Environmental Pollution might provide a solution to this nagging problem.

Samples extracted from a rubbish dump outside Islamabad in Pakistan showed a soil fungus feeding on plastic, the study says.

Dr Sehroon Khan, head of the study titled “Biodegradation of Polyester Polyurethane by Aspergillus tubingensis,” said in a release by World Agroforestry, “We wanted to identify solutions which already existed in nature, but finding microorganisms which can do the job isn’t easy.”

However, the team was pleasantly surprised with a sample they had taken from the garbage dump in the Pakistani capital.

The fungus called Aspergillus tubingensis, which lives in soil, was found to also grow on plastic and secrete a enzyme that breaks down the polymer molecules.

The team found that the fungus used the strength of its mycelia – the network of root-like filaments grown by fungi – to help break apart the polymers. Even plastics which would otherwise persist in the environment for years can be broken down by the fungus in weeks, the scientists say.

The fungus was tested with plastic in all three states — solid, liquid and gas and gave effective results.

However, the fungus’ performance is affected by a number of factors including pH levels, temperature and the type of culture medium used. The team thinks that figuring these factors out could be key to large-scale use of the fungus for treating plastic waste.

The study of fungus is still a growing field, and researchers say a number of fungi are yet to be discovered. Understanding fungi and harnessing them could be an organic way out to many of the world’s problems, the team notes.


“Our team’s next goal is to determine the ideal conditions for fungal growth and plastic degradation, looking at factors such as pH levels, temperature and culture mediums,” said Dr Khan. “This could pave the way for using the fungus in waste treatment plants, or even in soils which are already contaminated by plastic waste.”

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknew...ge-dump/ar-AAsneXF?li=AAmiR2Z&ocid=spartanntp

http://www.ibtimes.com/plastic-eating-fungus-found-pakistan-garbage-dump-2593226

@Khafee , @war&peace , @!eon , @django , @Clutch , @Hyperion

so its like always god came to help us

 

[Spring Onion]

There is, as a potential user.

Ideally plastics, being hydrocarbon based, can be recycled. But in the absence of said industry, the other option is to introduce fungi / bacteria so it can decompose.

Pakistan should seriously look into both avenues. Preferably with more emphasis on recycling. It will also cut the import of plastic granules.

I think just yesterday I read a news that says that India is carpeting roads with plastic waste.
I was thinking to search it but then was per occupied by work

 

[MultaniGuy]

Again, a good discovery.

 

[CHACHA"G"]

so its like always god came to help us

I Guess God Help them who helps them selves............... And our Researchers did a lot , they did help them selves.