Plastic Eating Bacteria

Zophobas morio (superworms) have a gut bacterium that allows the worm to digest certain types of plastic and turn it into usable compost. Studies have shown the bacteria excrete a film that degrades the plastic. We have recreated these steps so we can move to the next process, engineering the bacteria to work better as well as introducing the genetic structure of the bacterium into yeast cells, certain types of algae as well as archaea (due to their extreme environment conditions and lack of spore creation). Working with this bacteria to understand the chemical process that makes this “bacterial film” is our overall goal. In doing so we can hopefully create a safe, natural way to remove over %60 of waste in landfills and oceans. (Statistic comes from percentage of waste in landfills as compared to types of plastic Zophobas Morio can process).

Our conclusion is to hopefully reduce waste and the carbon emissions required to rid/recycle certain types of plastics by introducing plastic eating bacteria that have been modified to survive in the oceans extreme environment with the help of archaea. 

The bacteria only survives by consuming certain types of plastic (namely “micro-plastics”) and biodegradable materials. The waste that is produced is currently being studied as a substrate for a wide range of plant species.

Creating a plastic that doesn’t harm the environment is an amazing goal and feat if achieved, however that does not rid the already enormous issue the world already has with current plastic waste and emissions used on already produced plastic, our solution will.

The world and future generations. We work as a non-profit to provide information and solutions to the world so anyone can benefit or improve upon. When it comes down to it, we’re all in this together. 

Our solution is to produce a modified bacteria or genetic variance of the film zophobas morio produce to help rid the world of plastic waste and reduce the carbon emissions used on them significantly.

This specific “solution” is hoping to greatly improve the Carbon emission produced from plastic waste as well as turn trash in our oceans into a compostable material.

Our solution is innovative in the fact that it’s a process that has been studied and it works but was never utilized because the process was to slow or it didn’t benefit an individual or an organization. We’re working to benefit the planet. So we took an idea that was given to us by nature and are learning (as well as giving this information to the public freely) how it works and how we can use it to in turn protect the planet along with everything in it.

The process for this will require pretty new technology as their is genetic requirements that will need to be broken and reassembled as well as high frame rate technology (microscopic camera) for use with viewing life cycles.  We created our own bioreactor technology specific to this bacterium.

Mostly what our project utilizes in terms of new technology is the complex genetic structure that happens inside the bacterias body. Pushing its boundaries by combining it with other species of bacteria (namely archaea) is not an easy feat, however we have successfully mutated yeast cells to work with other types of bacteria as well as are currently working on applications of combining protein adaptations in certain types of archaebacteria. Combining this combination of proteins from the bacteria into the archaea or even vice versa requires a lot of time and extremely clean conditions with certain types of technology that allows us to better improve workflow conditions. 

We already have working systems setup and know the process works, so addressing the problem is not the issue, scaling it and speeding it up will be. Bacterium will only survive certain environments as well, so addressing the concern that it will work in certain ecological systems would be the main concern/focus.

We are currently serving no one. We hope in one year we can start scaling to start the beginning stages of helping the planet so by that time between 1-100,000. If it works, which genetics requires a lot of time and understanding before just throwing it out there, then realistically this can be an applicable technology to use within 5-10 years, which on a global scale could benefit all 7-8 billion people on the planet.

Our first year we would like to understand every genetic mechanism of how this bacterium works, how it survives, what it can survive in, what type of plastics it can consume, how useful the mulch it produces is and how its role in other species plays out. Within five years we would like to have a full genetic understanding of the bacterium as well as a working and scaled version that can be used environmentally by combining it with archaea to survive in extreme conditions (the ocean, salinity, cold) creating a fully workable bacteria that can be introduced into landfills and the ocean, turning specific plastics into mulch in turn creating clean vegetative growth and reduced carbon emissions.  

First and foremost is financial stability can be a burden at times as we are a non-profit (literal to the term). Mostly the biggest barrier is time. Genetics is not a fast field to study, every aspect takes time and a full understanding. Especially if/when you are modifying those genetics.

You can’t overcome time, but you can have help which greatly improves upon this. To overcome these setbacks we plan on creating as many cultures/bioreactors as possible then providing clear lineage to each and every project/aspect as we can. As well as finding investors.

Two to three

Because we understand this species and bacterium better than most as we have spent a lot of time building colonies and cultures. Staring at them through microscope lenses for hours on end. My genetic background makes me a great placement for this project as well. We also already have a team working on it regardless of this outcome.

R&D BioTech Alaska

Our business model is to provide clear and precise accurate scientific information on our projects to the public so anyone can take the information and improve upon or learn from. We welcome all sorts of scientific project ideas as well as full access to our progress on these projects.

Grants, donations and private funding.

I feel that applying to solve at least gives people the information. One of the biggest challenges in science is getting real accurate information, if the scientific community had full access to guaranteed data then we would be years ahead of where we are. Applying to solve gives us the opportunity to show people who we are, what we do and it tells people that if they want to help us, they can.

Any scientific or academic institution willing to donate or help with equipment or even information would be greatly appreciated. Currently MIT and Harvard have both provided me specifically with my knowledge base.

We feel that with this donation/grant we can advance our current equipment giving us much more accurate information for our biological systems. Modifying/creating something that can stop the harm plastics are already causing is a bigger step than creating something to replace that which hasn’t yet been made.