Engineered Bacterium Converts Potato Starch to Biodegradable Plastic

A research team led by the University of Barcelona has engineered a bacterium that converts unprocessed potato starch into biodegradable plastic ^[1].

This development offers a potential path to reduce global reliance on petrochemical-based plastics, which are linked to significant greenhouse gas emissions and pollution ^[1].

The researchers focused on the production of polyhydroxybutyrate, known as PHB, a biodegradable polymer ^[1]. While traditional plastic production relies on fossil fuels, this biological process utilizes raw plant materials. The engineered bacterium can complete the conversion of potato starch into PHB in a single 24-hour step [1, 2].

This efficiency is a critical advancement in bio-plastic manufacturing. Most current methods require extensive pre-treatment of raw materials before they can be processed by microbes. By utilizing unprocessed starch, the process simplifies the supply chain and reduces the energy required for production ^[2].

The scale of the problem the team aims to address is vast. Global production of petrochemical-based plastics currently reaches hundreds of millions of tons annually ^[1]. These materials persist in the environment for centuries, contributing to the degradation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

By creating a faster, plant-based alternative, the University of Barcelona team seeks to mitigate the environmental impact of the plastics industry. The use of potato starch provides a renewable feedstock that does not compete directly with primary food sources to the same extent as some other bio-plastic precursors ^[2].