Breaking down plastics
No one knows if it can be done, but Professor Frank Hollmann’s group of biocatalysis is going to try anyway: breaking down plastics with enzymes. Hollmann’s group in the Applied Sciences Faculty is one of 10 partners in a 3.18 million euro project called Bizente – one of more than 20 projects of the Biobased Industries joint undertaking. ‘Our contribution to the project is rather small (two years of PostDoc research, ca. 220 k€) but essential (from my point of view)’, writes Hollmann in an email. ‘We will be looking into new polymer degradation chemistry using enzymes.’ They’ll test the activity of enzymes engineered by EvoEnzyme in Spain on polyurethane foams, used in copious amounts as filling in seats of cars, planes and trains. Whether the enzymes will be successful in degrading the polymers, and what can be done with the end products remains to be seen. Enzymes are the catalyst of choice because of the mild conditions they work in, and their environmentally friendly reputation, Hollmann explains. (JW)
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