2021/07/13 by Sandra Kaabel, J. P. Daniel Therien, Catherine E. Deschênes +3 · 1 voice · 7 citations
Environmental Science · Materials Science · #Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals #Microplastics and Plastic Pollution #biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
paper · pdf · doi:10.1073/pnas.2026452118
openalex publication_date 2021/07/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Significance Although polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most recycled plastic, its recycling typically involves thermomechanical means, producing a plastic of lower quality that cannot be recycled again. In contrast, breaking PET down to its building blocks allows for repolymerization into high-quality PET. Chemical depolymerization of PET requires hazardous chemicals and conditions. Enzymes are environmentally benign, renewable catalysts that work under mild conditions. Several enzymes capable of depolymerizing low-crystallinity PET have been reported; however, efficient depolymerization of highly crystalline forms of PET typically found in consumer products has remained elusive. Here, we report that, in moist-solid reaction mixtures, the cutinase from Humicola insolens can efficiently hydrolyze highly crystalline PET to terephthalic acid with a 50% yield, without any amorphization or pretreatment of PET.