Plastic is Yummy…to Bacteria.

Despite a groggy start to the morning, we headed across the way to the University College Dublin to meet Dr. Kevin O’Connor, a biomolecular scientist who has spent the last 7 years coaxing small bacteria to eat styrene oil – the end result of Styrofoam being super heated at 520 degrees C in zero oxygen. When fed to the bacterium, they use the carbon to grow and use the excess to accumulate a polymeric material. Then the critters are “split” apart and the plastic is extracted. Even the dead bacteria can be used as a fertilizer!



Not only that, but the new plastic is 100% biodegradable and can be used to replace plastic bags and – more importantly – medical applications as the body can absorb this non-toxic material. Dr. O’Connor has already been in talks with industry groups and hopes to be able to use other organisms to break down a slew of plastics. Somebody call Nobel!

That’s the good news.

It appears Murphy’s Law is alive and well in Dublin. Plagued by audio problems, tripod malfunction, lighting issues - all while trying to do an interview in a full-functioning lab – surely tested our nerves. So now we lick our wounds and begin to repack for another flight.



Tomorrow we head to northern Holland to meet a scientist who studies plastic impact on sea birds as well as fishermen who collect garbage to be recycled. Time to start brushing up on our Dutch.

Out.

I+G