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Scientists devise tasty solution to global plastic crisis
The team used E.coli to transform a used plastic bottle into vanillan.
Study used bacteria to transform plastic into vanilla flavouring.

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have come up with a novel way to tackle the growing plastic pollution crisis – by transforming plastic waste into vanilla flavouring.

Their study published in the journal Green Chemistry describes how they used the common bacteria E.coli to turn plastic waste into vanillin, the primary component of extracted vanilla beans.

Researchers say the development could strengthen the circular economy, which is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.

“This is the first example of using a biological system to upcycle plastic waste into a valuable industrial chemical, and this has very exciting implications for the circular economy,” commented study author Joanna Sadler. “The results from our research have major implications for the field of plastic sustainability and demonstrate the power of synthetic biology to address real-world challenges.”

Responsible for the characteristic taste and smell of vanilla, vanillin is widely used in cosmetics, herbicides and cleaning products. In 2018, the global demand for the component stood at a staggering 37,000 tonnes.

In the study, researchers used lab-engineered E.coli to turn terephthalic acid (PET) (a strong plastic commonly used in food packaging) into the high-value compound vanillin through a series of chemical reactions. 

The team also transformed a used plastic bottle into vanillin by adding the E.coli to the degraded plastic waste. Scientists believe the product is fit for human consumption, but further testing is still required.

“Our work challenges the perception of plastic being a problematic waste and instead demonstrates its use as a new carbon resource from which high-value products can be obtained,” said Dr Stephen Wallace, principle Investigator of the study.

Besides food packaging, PET is also used in convenience-sized juices and water. Around 50 million tonnes of PET plastic is produced every year, which has serious environmental and economic impacts.

It is possible to recycle PET, but current methods create products that only add to the growing problem of plastic pollution. 

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Pet Blood Bank announces twists to annual fundraiser

News Story 1
 Pet Blood Bank has revealed that its annual fundraiser, 'Around the Coast in 30 Days', will now include mini challenges.

It is the fourth year of the challenge, which asks people to walk, run, swim or cycle a part of a 11,232 mile goal.

However this year's fundraiser, starting 1 May, includes extra challenges throughout the month. Pet Blood Bank says these tasks will showcase its work.

The challenge can be completed individually, or as a team, with miles recorded on the participant's fundraising page.

Register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
SCOPS updates anthelmintics guide

The Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group has published an updated version of its free guide to anthelmintics.

Know Your Anthelmintics, created to help farmers and livestock keepers, lists the available products for treating internal and external parasites in sheep and gives advice on how they should be administered. This includes guidance on drenching and injecting correctly and minimising the impact that anthelmintics have on the environment.

The new version contains information about products released in recent months and changes to older products.

Kevin Harrison, sheep farmer and SCOPS chair, said: "I can't count the times I've used the SCOPS Know Your Anthelmintics guide when making decisions about my flock, to remind myself which group a wormer belongs to or check other details."

The guide is available on the SCOPS website.