Reverse Engineering Plastics: Is It Cost Effective?

[Derek lynch]

I would like to know if plastics can be reverse engineered or are the costs too significant .

 

[phinds]

What is the context of your question? Do you mean ALL plastics? What is your goal?

 

[Derek lynch]

Hi thank you for the reply , yes with the state of ocean's and with plastic of all nature is there or is it plausible with the help of physics that plastics of certain types can or could be reverse engineered , I am aware that they have found enzymes that can eat plastic to degrade it ,my goal is to educate myself more about the subject and help if I can.

 

[phinds]

Hi thank you for the reply , yes with the state of ocean's and with plastic of all nature is there or is it plausible with the help of physics that plastics of certain types can or could be reverse engineered , I am aware that they have found enzymes that can eat plastic to degrade it ,my goal is to educate myself more about the subject and help if I can.

I still don't understand. When you say "reverse engineer", In English, that means to learn exactly how the plastic was MADE so that you could make it yourself. I think that is not what you mean, yes? You mean how can you DESTROY plastic (turn it into something not harmful), yes?

 

[jim mcnamara]

Some bacteria species haves enzymes that make all sorts of degrading kinds of changes to plastic.

Here is an review article on bacterial degradation of plastic:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/9916223/shah-biological_degradation_of_plastics_a_comprehensive_review.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1546135205&Signature=f%2BB9HsDzf9vXL%2BaGNq%2FO6%2F06zwQ%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DBiological_degradation_of_plastics_a_com.pdf

less technical:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2016/03/does-newly-discovered-bacteria-recycle-plastic/