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Papers
61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to New combined absorption/1H NMR method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of PET degradation products
ClearA versatile assay platform for enzymatic poly(ethylene-terephthalate) degradation
Researchers developed a fast, reliable assay platform for testing enzymes that break down PET plastic, a common component of bottles and packaging. Better enzyme-based recycling tools could help reduce PET accumulation in the environment and the microplastics it generates.
Fine tuning enzyme activity assays for monitoring the enzymatic hydrolysis of PET
Researchers improved two laboratory methods — one using HPLC (a chemical separation technique) and one using UV light — to more accurately measure how well enzymes break down PET plastic. The upgraded methods offer greater precision and reproducibility, which is essential for developing better plastic-degrading biotechnology.
Enzymatic Degradation of PET plastic
This study tested commercial-grade enzymes for degrading PET plastic and found that enzymatic degradation was effective at laboratory scale but faced challenges for real-world application. Scaling up enzymatic PET recycling could reduce the persistence of plastic waste that eventually fragments into microplastics in the environment.
Development of Enzyme-Based Approaches for Recycling PET on an Industrial Scale
This paper reviews the development of enzyme-based methods for breaking down PET plastic (used in bottles and packaging) at an industrial scale. While enzymatic recycling is a promising solution to plastic waste, current methods are still too slow and costly for widespread use. Improving these technologies could help reduce the enormous amount of PET entering the environment and breaking down into microplastics.
Process development for PETase production and purification
Researchers developed a production and purification process for PETase, an enzyme capable of breaking down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic biologically, as an alternative to inadequate mechanical and chemical recycling methods for mixed and contaminated PET waste. The study addresses the global plastic pollution crisis by advancing the scalability of enzymatic PET degradation as a sustainable recycling pathway.
Marine PET Hydrolase (PET2): Assessment of Terephthalate- and Indole-Based Polyesters Depolymerization
Researchers characterized a marine enzyme (PET2) capable of breaking down PET plastic and related polyester materials under relatively mild conditions. Discovering and engineering enzymes that can degrade PET could help address the massive accumulation of PET microplastics in ocean environments.
High-resolution NMR spectroscopic approaches to quantify PET microplastics pollution in environmental freshwater samples
Researchers developed a workflow using high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect and quantify polyethylene terephthalate microplastic contamination in environmental water samples. The NMR-based approach enables unambiguous identification and precise measurement of PET particles in surface waters. The study offers a promising new analytical tool for monitoring microplastic pollution that complements existing detection methods.
Microbial enzymes for the recycling of recalcitrant petroleum‐based plastics: how far are we?
This review examines the progress in identifying microbial enzymes capable of breaking down petroleum-based plastics like polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, and PET. Researchers highlight recent advances in using polyester-degrading enzymes to recover raw materials from PET waste through biocatalytic recycling. The study discusses the potential and remaining challenges of using biological approaches to address the growing global problem of plastic waste accumulation.
Current knowledge on enzymatic PET degradation and its possible application to waste stream management and other fields
This review distinguished between enzymatic PET surface modification (useful for fiber treatment) and enzymatic PET degradation (needed for waste management), cataloguing the hydrolases capable of each function and the conditions required. The authors evaluate the prospects for deploying PET-degrading enzymes in industrial plastic waste streams.
Synthesis and characterization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) precursors and potential degradation products: Toxicity study and application in discovery of novel PETases
Scientists synthesized and characterized the toxic breakdown products of PET plastic (used in bottles and packaging) and evaluated their ecotoxicity, finding that some degradation intermediates are more harmful than the intact polymer. As more biotechnological approaches are developed to break down PET in the environment, understanding the toxicity of breakdown products is critical.
Structural decay of poly(ethylene terephthalate) by enzymatic degradation
Researchers examined the structural decay of poly(ethylene terephthalate) through enzymatic degradation as a sustainable recycling strategy, finding this approach requires neither energy nor harsh solvents, offering a promising path for addressing microplastic pollution from PET products.
Quantitative analysis of PET microplastics in environmental model samples using quantitative 1H-NMR spectroscopy: validation of an optimized and consistent sample clean-up method
Researchers proposed a new mass-based method for quantifying PET microplastics in environmental samples that enables comparisons across different sample matrices. Standardizing how microplastics are measured — particularly reporting mass rather than just particle counts — would improve the comparability of data from different studies.
Recent advances in screening and identification of PET-degrading enzymes
Researchers reviewed recent advances in discovering and engineering enzymes capable of breaking down PET plastic, one of the most widely produced and persistent plastic types. They examined screening methods including metagenomic mining and machine learning approaches that have accelerated the identification of promising PET-degrading enzymes. The study suggests that enzymatic recycling could become a viable, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional PET disposal methods.
An absorbance method for analysis of enzymatic degradation kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate) films
Researchers developed a fast absorbance-based method to assess PET-degrading enzyme (PETase) kinetics and used it to characterize a thermostable engineered variant (denaturation temperature 69.4°C), finding 5–7 fold improved catalytic rates compared to the wild-type enzyme.
Perspectives on the Role of Enzymatic Biocatalysis for the Degradation of Plastic PET
This review discusses the role of enzymatic biocatalysis in PET plastic degradation, examining how the discovery of PETase and subsequent enzyme engineering have advanced biodegradation as an alternative to chemical and mechanical recycling for one of the most produced plastics globally.
Research progress on chemical depolymerization and upcycling of PET waste plastics
This review examines recent advances in chemical methods for breaking down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste plastics into useful raw materials. Researchers surveyed techniques including glycolysis, methanolysis, hydrolysis, and aminolysis that can convert PET back into monomers for reuse. The study highlights chemical depolymerization as a promising approach to reduce plastic pollution while recovering valuable materials from waste.
Marine PET Hydrolase (PET2): Assessment of Terephthalate- and Indole-Based Polyester Depolymerization
This study characterized a marine-derived enzyme (PET2) capable of breaking down PET plastic under mild conditions, assessing its efficiency for enzymatic recycling. Enzyme-based PET recycling could prevent plastic waste from fragmenting into the microplastics that accumulate in oceans and organisms.
Enhancing PET Degrading Enzymes: A Combinatory Approach
Scientists worked on improving enzymes that can break down PET plastic, one of the most common plastics in consumer products. Using a combinatory approach, researchers enhanced the performance of a naturally occurring PET-degrading enzyme from the bacterium Piscinibacter sakaiensis. The study suggests that engineered enzymes could eventually help create a circular economy for plastic waste by enabling efficient recycling at the molecular level.
Sustainable Management of Microplastic Pollutions from PET Bottles: Overview and Mitigation Strategies
Researchers reviewed the environmental impact of PET bottle degradation and strategies for managing the resulting microplastic pollution. The study highlights that PET bottle usage continues to grow, and its breakdown releases low-molecular-weight compounds and microplastics, while outlining mitigation approaches including improved recycling and waste management practices.
Adsorption of enzymes with hydrolytic activity on polyethylene terephthalate
Researchers characterized how three PET-degrading enzymes bind to polyethylene terephthalate plastic surfaces, finding high non-specific adsorption affinity but no evidence of active-site ligand binding, and noting that enzymatic hydrolysis progressively increases the PET surface's binding capacity over time.
Quantification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) micro- and nanoparticle contaminants in marine sediments and other environmental matrices
Researchers developed and validated a method to quantify PET (polyethylene terephthalate) micro- and nanoparticles in marine sediments and other environmental matrices using chemical digestion and fluorescence detection. This polymer-specific quantification approach addresses a gap in methods for tracking one of the world's most widely used plastics in the environment.
A Simple Method for Quantifying Polycarbonate and Polyethylene Terephthalate Microplastics in Environmental Samples by Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry
This study developed a simple chemical method using alkali-assisted thermal hydrolysis to depolymerize and quantify polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics in environmental samples. The approach provides a more accessible way to measure these specific plastic types, which are common in packaging and consumer goods.
Quantification of poly(ethylene terephthalate) in environmental samples after methanolysis via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Researchers developed a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for quantifying poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) in environmental samples via methanolysis depolymerization, addressing the limitations of thermoanalytical methods that are subject to strong matrix effects from inorganic compounds.
Enzymatic PET Degradation
This review examines enzymatic degradation of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the plastic used in bottles and polyester clothing, as a promising pathway for breaking down this persistent polymer. Advances in engineering more efficient PET-degrading enzymes could enable industrial-scale biological recycling and reduce the environmental accumulation of PET microplastics.