Researchers of which country first discovered the "Plastic eating Bacteria" in 2016?

Question

Question

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Delhi Police Head Constable (AWO/TPO) Official Paper (Held On : 27 Oct 2022 Shift 1)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Japan.

Key Points

In 2016, researchers from Japan discovered a strain of bacteria capable of breaking down and consuming polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic.
The bacteria, named Ideonella sakaiensis, was found at a waste recycling center outside of Osaka.
Ideonella sakaiensis uses two enzymes to hydrolyze PET into its monomers, which are then assimilated by the bacteria.
This discovery offers potential solutions for addressing plastic pollution, a significant environmental concern globally.

Additional Information

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
- PET is a type of plastic commonly used in packaging, including bottles and containers.
- It is known for its strength, thermal stability, and transparency, making it widely used in the food and beverage industry.
- PET is non-biodegradable and poses significant environmental challenges due to its persistence in the environment.
Plastic Pollution
- Plastic pollution refers to the accumulation of plastic objects and particles in the Earth's environment adversely affecting wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans.
- It is a major environmental issue, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering the oceans each year.
- Efforts to mitigate plastic pollution include recycling, bioplastics, and reducing plastic use through policy measures.
Biodegradation
- Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are broken down by the actions of living organisms, typically microorganisms.
- This process is essential for the natural breakdown of waste products and is crucial in waste management and environmental cleanup.
Enzymatic Hydrolysis
- Enzymatic hydrolysis is a process where enzymes break down complex molecules into simpler ones, often used in the degradation of plastics.
- In the context of PET degradation, specific enzymes break the ester bonds in the polymer to produce monomers that can be further metabolized by microorganisms.