From the clothes we wear, to the fishing nets and the industrial components, nylon It is everywhere. But Recycling it is almost impossible And it ends up polluting the planet. Now, a revolutionary discovery could change everything: a genetically modified bacterium it is able to decompose nylon e transform it into a biodegradable plastic. Will the turning point for the circular economy?
Although the resistance and versatility of the Synthetic polyamidsnotes like nylon, are appreciated, their recycling is a problem still unsolved: less than 5% are recovered. Mechanical recycling techniques require pure nylon, while chemical recycling, although effective, produces compounds that are not very usable and difficult to separate. As a result, huge quantities of nylon end up in landfills or are incineratedwith serious consequences for the environment.
The solution
A team of researchers from Jülich Research Center has genetically changed, in collaboration with the company Novonesisthe bacterium Pseudomonas putidacalled KT2440, so that it can metabolize the nylon by -products, transforming them into a biodegradable bioplasty called Poliohydroxybutirrato (Phb). This discovery, published on Nature microbiologyrepresents a step forward in the biological recycling of the Polymids.
How the engineered bacterium works
The nylon, after being subjected to chemical hydrolysis, dissolves in a mixture of monomers and oligomers. The strain of Pseudomonas putida modified has been trained in the laboratory to metabolize these compounds, using them as a carbon source and transforming them into phb. This process It exceeds the limits of traditional chemical recyclingsince the bacterium consumes almost completely traveled plastic without the need for intermediate purification.
From nylon polluting to bioplasty
The Phb obtained is a biodegradable plastic with different industrial applications, including packaging and the production of compostable materials. Thanks to this technology, waste such as fishing networks and polyamide fabrics could be converted into new sustainable products, reducing the accumulation of plastic in the environment.
Scientific data
According to the study, Global plastic production exceeded 400 million tons in 2022with the nylon representing about 10 million tons. However, the recycling rate is less than 2% for the fibers in Poliamide. The process developed by researchers allows the bacterium Pseudomonas putida to metabolize monomers such as theε-CAPRULATTAME and the1.6-Exametilendiammininafundamental in the production of nylon. In addition, the possibility of obtaining up to 13.2% of PHB by weight was demonstrated if the bacterium is powered with suitably treated nylon waste.
The mechanism uses genetic engineering to enhance the bacterium’s ability to digest these compounds and convert them into biopolymers without issuing toxic substances in the environment. The efficiency of the process has been successfully tested in the laboratory, and the researchers are now studying how to apply it on an industrial scale.
Future challenges and perspectives
Although the research is promising, the road to large scale application is still long. Scientists are working to improve the efficiency of the process and make it economically sustainable. By the next decades, we could witness the birth of biological recycling plants capable of transforming millions of tons of nylon in biopolymers, thus reducing our dependence on traditional plastics and contributing to a more sustainable circular economy.
Genetic engineering has opened new perspectives for the recycling of the Poliamidi, offering an innovative and environmentally friendly solution for one of the most difficult materials to dispose of. If successfully implemented, this technology could revolutionize the recycling sector, transforming the nylon from environmental problem to precious resource for a more sustainable future.
