Marine scientists discovered an ocean-borne fungus chomping through plastic trash in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
  • Azzu@lemm.ee
    32·
    23 days ago

    I would really like to know what’s the resulting materials after the breaking down, but the article doesn’t say :(

    • AutistoMephisto@lemmy.world
      132·
      23 days ago

      Well, given what we know about most commercial plastics, which are all derived from oil/complex hydrocarbons, the consumed plastic could be broken down into condensed carbon? Or would it be carbon gases? I’m speculating based on just what I know about plastics, what they are and how they’re made.

      • eran_morad@lemmy.world
        21·
        23 days ago

        The fungi are likely oxidizing the plastic to CO2, probably via many metabolic intermediates. This is likely driven by the fact that plastics are chemically reduced - a rich source of chemical potential energy. Accessing that energy requires enzymatic conversion to a less reduced state, culminating in the fully oxidized CO2 molecule.

    • mister_monster@monero.townEnglish
      74·
      22 days ago

      That’s because this narrative is at odds with another environmentalist narrative.

      Carbon compounds are oxidized by non plant organisms to form carbon dioxide.