Scientists have come up with environmentally friendly plastic made from algae
According to the UN, 90% of the world's oceans are polluted by synthetic waste, so biological plastic, which can decompose much faster than usual, could be one of the solutions to many environmental problems. One of the ways was proposed by Israeli scientists, developing a technology for creating harmless bioplastics. Its production does not require additional resources in the form of fresh water and soil substrate. All biodegradable plastic needs are seaweed and microorganisms. As a result, the material is cheap and environmentally friendly - the biomaterial dissolves in the soil within two years. Compared to the amount of decomposition of common plastic that floods oceans and terrain, the difference is enormous. In nature, plastic materials poison the environment for hundreds of years before their final decomposition. All this time, plastic in the form of huge garbage continents harms animals and the environment. In addition, the industrial production of plastic, which is based on petroleum products, emits harmful substances into the atmosphere.
A good substitute for synthetic materials is harmless plastic, the production technology of which does not harm the atmosphere and is itself non-toxic. Bioplastic is already being created on an industrial scale, factories have appeared in the world that produce this material from plant materials. But not everything is smooth here either. To create a rapidly decomposing biopolymer, a base is required - fresh water and fertile soil, which is a deficit for many countries. Basically, their shortage affects densely populated countries, for which the production of environmentally friendly biopolymers may cause a lack of resources in the food industry. The new technology, proposed by scientists at Tel Aviv University, does not need fresh water, fertile land and expensive chemical elements - biological plastic is created from a substance that produces marine plankton, feeding on multicellular algae. The whole process takes place in a salty environment.
As a result of the interaction of microorganisms and algae, a cheap natural substrate is obtained for the production of biological polymers that can dissolve in the earth in just a couple of years. The Topic of Article: Scientists have come up with environmentally friendly plastic made from algae. |
