'Before we get to this point, however, we need to know more about these enzymes, including the byproducts of plastic oxidation.' This could include use in waste management facilities to degrade collected plastic, and we could imagine its use in the home further down the line.'

'However, as the enzymes can be produced in the lab, it is promising for any future applications.

'This research has opened up several new paths that need to be deeply investigated before these enzymes could be used to tackle plastic pollution.' They identified two enzymes that can break apart the plastic's long polymers into smaller chains.ĭr Federica Bertocchini, who co-authored a paper revealing the discovery in Nature Communications, says that these molecules could one day be applied on an industrial scale to degrade plastic waste. Wax worms could provide a new way to combat the plastic pollution crisis.Įuropean researchers have found that the saliva of wax moth larvae is capable of breaking down the most common type of plastic, polyethylene.

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