Bacterial sex helps take on microplastics pollution

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) takes hundreds of years to degrade in the environment, breaking down over time into microplastic pieces less than 5mm long. Prolific across the food chain, the chemicals in these plastics are associated with insulin resistance, cancer and decreased reproductive health.

The Waterloo team added DNA to several species of bacteria found in wastewater. They used a natural process referred to as ‘bacterial sex’, where bacteria share genetic material with each other when multiplying. This enables the introduction of a new trait - FAST-PETase - into the target bacteria, giving them the ability to break down microplastics. The work is described in Microbial Technology.

“Think of these bacteria that already exist in water systems to clean up microplastics as biorobots that can be programmed to get the job done,” said Dr Marc Aucoin, a Professor at Waterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

“Microplastics in water also enhance the spread of antibiotic resistance, so this breakthrough could also address that concern.”