Category : Plastic pollution | Location : International | Posted on 2022-07-27 21:56:00
A research study involving 29 European lakes has found that some naturally-occurring freshwater bacteria grow faster and more efficiently on the remains of plastic bags than they do on plant matter like leaves and twigs. The scientists behind the research believe that enriching water bodies with these species of bacteria could be a way to remove plastic pollution from the environment.
The results of the study, published in Nature Communications, suggest that plastic pollution in the lakes is “priming” the bacteria for rapid growth. Not only are the bacteria breaking down the plastic, but they are better able to break down other natural carbon compounds in the lake. The researchers believe this is happening because the carbon compounds from plastics are easier to break down as food for the bacteria.
“It’s almost like the plastic pollution is getting the bacteria’s appetite going. The bacteria use the plastic as food first, because it’s easy to break down, and then they’re more able to break down some of the more difficult food – the natural organic matter in the lake,” said Andrew Tanentzap, one of the co-authors of the study, in a press statement. Tanentzap is part of the University of Cambridge’s Department of Plant Sciences. A study by the same authors published last year discovered that European lakes are potential hotspots of microplastic pollution.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/research-finds-bacteria-can-remove-plastic-pollution-from-lakes-8054781/
