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Biodegradation potential of polypropylene by jellyfish nematocyst protein
Summary
Researchers extracted protein from jellyfish nematocysts (stinging capsules) and found it could degrade polypropylene plastic under laboratory conditions, reducing its mass and altering its surface structure. The findings identify a novel biological source of plastic-degrading proteins with potential biotechnological applications.
Abstract Plastic pollution is one of the major global problems and a serious anthropogenic concern in coastal and marine ecosystems. Increased accumulation of plastics into the aquatic environment by anthropogenic sources results in disruption of the aquatic ecosystem and functions. Several variables impact biodegradation, ranging from microbe species to polymer type, physicochemical qualities, and environmental circumstances. In the present study, the nematocyst protein was isolated and extracted from the lyophilized nematocyst samples using three different mediums such as distilled water, PBS, and seawater. The total protein content of venom proteins was 39 mg/mL. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the interaction of venom protein with polypropylene and had the ability to breakdown potential was studied using ATR-IR, phase contrast bright-dark field microscopic, and scanning electron microscopy studies. Results suggest that the jellyfish nematocysts protein has the ability to break down potential polypropylene material without any external physicochemical process.