Fast way to decompose plastic bags.

[matthyaouw]

Since plastic does eventually degrade, it must be eaten by microorganisms. If those microorganisms, as well as the optimal conditions for their growth, could be identified, we could put them to work eating the plastic much faster than under normal conditions.

...

At 37 degrees and optimal bacterial concentration, the microbes had consumed 43 percent of a plastic sample within six weeks.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2RcIPs/blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2008/05/27/its-in-the-bag-teenager-wins-science-fair-solves-massive-environmental-problem/

Ok, interesting, but is this practical? Leaving aside the means by which you'd heat the mix to a cosy 37 degrees, what would be the products of this? The microbes will metabolise and throw out gasses I presume. What sort and in what volumes? Would doing this in the (relative) blink of an eye be in any way worse than just allowing them to decompose the normal (slow) way? How about any worse than just burning them? I'm intrigued to know the implications of this idea.

 

[Xnn]

While bacteria do exhale some CO2, they also form a wide variety of organic materials in the process of reproducing. So, the product of their consumption of plastic bags would be far better for the soil than simple combustion.

Combustion, would produce CO2, H20 and inorganic ash. Extremely common and not particularly valuable products.

 

[matthyaouw]

Thanks for the input :)

So what do people think? Is it worth the effort?

 

[cesiumfrog]

Isn't our biggest environmental problem currently that we've been decomposing products that contain fossil-carbon much too quickly?

And so now you're advertising a way to decompose another product that contains fossil-carbon much more quickly?

 

[LudusRex]

I find this approach to decomposing plastic bags intriguing. It is certainly a creative solution to a pressing environmental problem. However, before implementing this method on a large scale, further research and testing would be necessary to fully understand the potential consequences and effectiveness.

Firstly, identifying and isolating the specific microorganisms that are capable of breaking down plastic bags would be crucial. This would require extensive screening and experimentation to ensure that the chosen microbes are safe for the environment and do not pose any potential risks.

Additionally, the optimal conditions for their growth would need to be carefully studied and replicated in a controlled environment. As mentioned, heating the mix to 37 degrees may not be practical on a large scale, so finding alternative methods to create these conditions would need to be explored.

Furthermore, the byproducts of this process would need to be closely examined. While the microbes may consume the plastic, it is likely that they will also produce gases and other substances as a result of their metabolism. These byproducts could potentially have negative impacts on the environment if not properly managed.

It is also important to consider the potential trade-offs of using this method. While it may be a faster way to decompose plastic bags, it may also require a significant amount of resources and energy to maintain the optimal conditions for the microbes to thrive. This could potentially outweigh the benefits of using this method.

Overall, while this approach shows promise, more research and testing would be needed before it can be considered a practical solution for decomposing plastic bags. As scientists, it is important to thoroughly evaluate the potential implications and consequences of any proposed solution before implementing it on a large scale.