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German Scientists Identify New Strain of Plastic-eating Bacteria

Zlatica Hoke

   WASHINGTON - German scientists say they have identified a strain of
   bacteria that isfeeding onpolyurethanes,aplastic resistant
   tobiodegradation.

   A team of researchers at the Helmholtz Center for Environmental
   Research in Leipzig, Germany,has found that a strain of soil bacterium,
   identified asPseudomonasputida,canproduce enzymes to
   digestpolyurethanesthusmakingitbiodegradable.

   The German team says the bacterium found in the soil surrounding a heap
   of plastic waste was feeding onpolyurethane diol, which is used in
   plastic as a component that protects products from corrosion.

   HermannHeipieper, one of the researchers and author of the
   studypublished inthe journalFrontiers in Microbiology,said"this finding
   represents an important step in being able to reuse hard-to-recycle
   (polyurethane) products."

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