Articles tagged with Biodegradation
A new study reveals that animals and microorganisms work together to break down microbial PHAs, providing a previously overlooked way for animal food webs to access carbon. This discovery opens a new perspective on interactions between microorganisms and animals, highlighting the importance of studying unusual organisms.
A study found that the gut microbiota of Helicoverpa armigera caterpillars harbors fungi with the potential to degrade expanded polystyrene. Four fungi were isolated and demonstrated to break down polystyrene using scanning electron microscopy analysis.
Researchers at Kyushu University developed a new food preservation solution using pumpkin peel, creating a nanomaterial that slows deterioration of fruit and reduce transport damage. The material showed good biocompatibility and was effective in suppressing microbial growth and preserving freshness.
A new study reveals that more than 95% of prokaryotic microbe species carry genes with the potential to degrade natural or synthetic plastic polymers. The research identifies over 600,000 microbial proteins capable of breaking down plastics, with biodegradation potential strongly influenced by local ecological conditions.
University of Tennessee Knoxville professor Frank Loeffler and his team discovered that bacteria can covalently incorporate polyfluoroalkyl carboxylates into their membrane lipids. This finding may contribute to cleaning up environmental PFAS contamination, although final disposal is still an unsolved issue.
A new study reveals that even low concentrations of pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and other chemicals can subtly alter plant physiology and disrupt soil health, posing wider environmental and human health risks. The review emphasizes the need for stronger regulation and redesign of chemicals to make them safer.
A new study reveals that the cockroach Blaptica dubia can efficiently biodegrade polystyrene through a tightly integrated gut microbe–host metabolic system. The insects removed nearly 55% of ingested polystyrene within 42 days, achieving a degradation rate far exceeding those reported for other plastic-feeding insects.
Research reveals complex interactions between soil microbes, viruses, and microplastics, influencing soil health and ecosystem recovery. Innovations such as phage-assisted microbial augmentation aim to enhance plastic degradation in soils.
Certain microbes can act as community protectors by breaking down antibiotics and stabilizing entire microbial ecosystems. Antibiotic degraders create safer microenvironments, allowing sensitive microbes to survive.
A new review highlights how high and extreme temperatures influence the ability of microorganisms to degrade microplastics. The study shows that heat can both accelerate and suppress microbial breakdown, depending on conditions and organisms involved.
A new study identifies how sulfamethoxazole, a common antibiotic, affects denitrification in estuarine sediments. The results show that the antibiotic disrupts the balance of nitrogen cycling processes, leading to increased nitrous oxide emissions and greenhouse gas warming.
Researchers have identified iron-manganese alloys as promising candidates for temporary bone fixation. These alloys combine strength, biocompatibility, and degradation properties, allowing them to support bone healing while degrading naturally. However, challenges remain, including controlling the release of manganese, which can pose t...
Researchers have developed a nonswelling lubricative nanocolloidal hydrogel that resists biodegradation for over six months. This breakthrough provides a blueprint for next-generation hydrogels with long-term structural integrity and biofunctionality.
Researchers found biochar improved soil's ability to hold nutrients and moisture, giving cotton plants better growth conditions. Biochar also helps improve water quality by keeping nitrates in the soil and out of groundwater.
Researchers have demonstrated that LAHB, a microbial lactate-based polyester, breaks down in deep-sea environments, while conventional plastics persist. The biodegradable plastic lost over 80% of its mass after 13 months underwater, making it a promising option for reducing marine plastic waste.
Cyanobacteria's microalgae-based technologies effectively remove antibiotics from wastewater through mechanisms attributed to the identified nitroreductase enzyme. Engineered bacteria expressing this enzyme degrade chloramphenicol with high efficiency, offering a sustainable biocatalyst for antibiotic pollution control.
A new study found that oil cleanup agents such as surface washing agents and chemical herders do not impede naturally occurring oil biodegradation. The researchers observed an initial delay but noted that the diverse microbial community actively degraded the treating agents simultaneously with the crude oil.
University of Delaware researchers develop a method to remove toxic particles from tires by upgrading a molecule that provides UV protection into safe chemicals. The leftover crumb rubber can be recycled using classic plastic recycling methods or converted into aromatics and carbon black.
A new study found that benzoyl peroxide acne treatments lack stability and degrade into carcinogenic benzene when exposed to heat, UV light, or stored at room temperature. Refrigeration may be a practical solution to minimize unnecessary exposure until safer formulations are developed.
A team of Tohoku University researchers developed an environmentally friendly composite material from washi, showcasing improved strength and biodegradability. The new material boasts a tensile strength over 60% higher than pure PBS, making it suitable for sustainable applications.
Researchers at NTU Singapore have developed an artificial 'worm gut' that can efficiently break down plastics using microbes found in worms' guts. The artificial system replicates the natural process of worms breaking down plastics and has potential for biotechnological approaches to process plastic waste.
Researchers at University of Tokyo developed a new plastic material called VPR, which can maintain complex shapes, repair itself with heat, and biodegrade in seawater. The material has improved toughness, shape memory, and recyclability.
Researchers from Michigan State University's School of Packaging have developed a bio-based polymer blend that is compostable in both home and industrial settings. The blend, which includes polylactic acid (PLA) and thermoplastic starch, reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and enables efficient recycling.
A new device combines rapid hemorrhage management, infection control, and sensing capabilities for long-term monitoring. The device features a tunable biodegradation rate and can detect bleeding in real-time using a nanowire-based capacitive sensor.
A new study finds that popular compostable plastics like PLA don't biodegrade in marine environments, instead persisting unchanged. The research highlights the need for standardizing tests to see if materials promoted as compostable or biodegradable actually break down in natural environments.
Researchers from TIBI have developed an advanced electronic skin patch that provides simultaneous, continuous monitoring of multiple bodily parameters. The new E-skin patch offers enhanced flexibility, thermal cooling abilities, and fluid absorption over conventional substrates while demonstrating excellent biocompatibility and biodegr...
Researchers at ETH Zurich develop a new method to track plastic biodegradation in soil, using stable carbon isotopes to demonstrate complete mass balances. The study finds that about two-thirds of the added polymer carbon is converted into CO2, while one-third remains in the soil, with some being incorporated into microbial biomass.
A team of WVU researchers has developed a biodegradable composite material using cotton fibers from recycled mattresses, with the goal of replacing single-use plastics. The new material will be created through 3D printing and can be used to produce various consumer products, such as beverage straws and disposable packaging.
Researchers have developed a biodegradable polymer coating that can block grease and oil in compostable paper packaging, reducing environmental impact. The coating's ester linkages break apart in water, allowing microorganisms to degrade it.
Researchers discovered a variety of microorganisms on a 17th century painting, including bacteria and fungi, which may be employed to protect artworks from biodegradation. The study suggests that certain biocompounds containing bacterial spores could potentially be used to preserve works of art at risk of degradation.
Degradation rates of oil were slower in the dark and cold waters of the Gulf of Mexico than at surface conditions. Oil biodegradation rates decreased by 4 percent for every 328 feet of increase in water depth, with complete degradation taking 42 days in sediments deeper than 3280 feet.
The study used LC-HRMS/MS to identify two main metabolites of Nitroproston in rat plasma: 1,3-GDN and PGE2. In human whole blood, Nitroproston biodegradation rate was the slowest, occurring more rapidly in whole blood. This suggests that metabolism is mainly associated with RBC fractions.
Researchers analyzed 125 major petroleum hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to determine their long-term environmental impact. They found that smaller, simpler compounds degrade faster, while larger ones persist longer, and that physical context plays a significant role in this process.
Scientists have identified a new bacterium that can break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using just two enzymes. The unique enzymes, ISF6_4831 and ISF6_0224, work together to degrade PET into its simpler building blocks, offering a potential solution to the plastic waste problem.
A new study from Michigan State University finds that several additives claiming to break down plastics do not work in common disposal situations. The team tested five additives and three categories of biodegradation methods but found no difference between plastics with additives and those without.
Researchers discovered a new species of bacteria degrading oil at an unprecedented rate without oxygen depletion. The study found that psychrophilic bacteria played a significant role in controlling deep-sea oil plumes, suggesting a potential for natural bioremediation.
Harwood's discovery of the genes and enzymes involved in lignin degradation has major implications for environmental pollution and carbon cycling. Her work on light-driven nitrogenase processes also holds promise for sustainable energy production.
A new technique developed at the University of Toronto is being used to test the effectiveness of clean-up efforts for contaminated groundwater. Using Compound Specific Isotope Analysis, researchers can determine if biodegradation is taking place by analyzing the ratio of carbon isotopes in the contaminants.
Researchers have developed an approach to degrading Congo Red using ultrasound technology, transforming it into less toxic intermediates. This method combines the power of sonolysis with conventional industrial waste water biodegradation treatment, effectively removing the color and reducing toxicity from dye-contaminated effluent.
A team of scientists has identified a biological process that breaks down crude oil into methane, offering a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way to produce natural gas. This breakthrough could increase oil sands production by recovering clean-burning methane directly from deeply buried deposits.
A recent study reveals that oil levels in Prince William Sound's sands remain unchanged since tests five years ago, with oil seeping down 4-10 inches. Researchers will conduct field studies to understand the motion of water and effects of waves on beaches, focusing on micro-organism limitations and environmental factors.