Very powerful and able to reduce the plastic dispersed in the environment. Welcome to the magical world of mushrooms. Some types, such as Aspergillus tubingensis, are in fact able to erode plastic materials such as polyurethane in a few months
Very powerful and able to reduce the plastic dispersed in the environment. Welcome to the magical world of mushrooms. Some types, such as Aspergillus tubingensis, are in fact able to erode plastic materials such as polyurethane in a few months.
A report published by Kew Gardens of London highlighted the extraordinary characteristics and capabilities of mushrooms. Over 100 scientists from over 18 countries contributed to the first report on the State of the Mushrooms, calling for greater efforts to understand this forgotten kingdom.
Forgotten but essential for life on Earth. Suffice it to say that 90% of living plant species depend on fungi to access nutrients through their roots. Today science knows just 144 thousand species but there are 3,8 million in Nature.
Aspergillus tubingensis, enemy of plastic
Among these there is one that plays a leading role in combating the pollution produced by plastics. It is theAspergillus tubingensis According to the report's authors, this fungus can break down some plastics in weeks instead of years.
Discovered by chance in a landfill in Pakistan, the mushroom has been studied to better understand its characteristics. The polyurethane degradation ability of the mushroom was tested in three different ways but the results left no room for doubt:
“Our results indicated that this A. tubingensis strain was capable of degrading polyurethane. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we were able to visually confirm that A. tubingensis mycelium colonized the material, causing surface degradation and scarring, ”the study reads.
The formation or breaking of chemical bonds during the polyurethane biodegradation process was also confirmed through spectroscopy. During testing, the scientists noticed that after two months, the material had been completely degraded into smaller pieces.
"This is incredibly exciting because it is a great environmental challenge: if this can be the solution, it would be great", he said Ilia Leitch, among the scientists who participated in the drafting of the report, during the press conference. "We are in the early stages of research, but I hope to see the benefits of plastic-eating mushrooms within 5-10 years."
About 150 million tons of plastic roam our oceans, 8 million tons end up in the sea every year. By 2050, the seas will be home to more plastic than fish in terms of weight if current pollution rates do not decrease.
We cannot lull ourselves into the ability of mushrooms to destroy our waste but we must certainly reduce the use of plastic.
READ also:
- A "plastic-eating" mushroom discovered in the Amazon
- Goodbye plastic! Developed the enzyme-based method that degrades it in 15 days
Francesca Mancuso
