As scientists continue to look for ways to combat the plastic waste that crusts coastsOpens in a new tab and clogs riversOpens in a new tab globally, their solutions occasionally take on an air of desperation. Or, in the case of a new study undertaken by scientists in the UK, a scent of vanilla, as they’ve managed to turn plastic waste into vanillin; the compound responsible for the characteristic taste and smell of vanilla.
The Smithsonian MagazineOpens in a new tab reported on the new study, which the scientists published in the journal Green ChemistryOpens in a new tab. The team says it aimed to develop a way to deal with “recycled polyethylene terephthalate,” or PET. For those unfamiliar, PET is a strong, lightweight plastic producers make from non-renewable materials like oil and gas.
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To turn the plastic waste into vanillin—an organic compound that naturally occurs in vanilla beans—the scientists used Escherichia coli. A.k.a. E. Coli. (A more familiar term for anyone who’s played fast-food Russian Roulette one too many times.) After genetically engineeringOpens in a new tab the E. coli, the scientists used it to transform terephthalic acid—a molecule derived from PET—into vanillin. For a full demonstration, the team even converted a plastic bottle into vanillin.
“This is the first example of using a biological system to upcycle plastic waste into a valuable industrial chemical and this has very exciting implications for the circular economy,” Joanna Sadler, first author of the study, said in a press releaseOpens in a new tab. “The results from our research have major implications for the field of plastic sustainability and demonstrate the power of synthetic biology to address real-world challenges,” Sadler added.
@UneVagueBlanche it is the same chemical as is used to flavour food, yes, but we'd need to do some further work on this to make sure it is pure enough to be safe to eat!
— Jo Sadler (@JoSadler10) June 10, 2021Opens in a new tab
The scientists believe their plastic-waste vanillin is likely fit for human consumption, but caution more studies are necessary. Even if it turns out this type of vanillin is not suitable for consumption, however, other industries could still use it.
The cosmetic industryOpens in a new tab, for example, uses vanillin in its products. So too do cleaning-product companies and herbicide manufacturers. Which kind of makes you wonder how it’s possible everything doesn’t smell like vanilla literally all the time. Which wouldn’t be terrible, right?
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