#cellulose

The perfect polymer? Plant-based plastic is fully saltwater degradable and leaves behind zero microplastics

Researchers led by Takuzo Aida at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) in Japan have one-upped themselves in their quest to solve our microplastic problem. In a study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, they report a new type of plastic made from plant cellulose, the world's most abundant organic compound. The new plastic is strong, flexible, and capable of rapid decomposition in natural environments, setting it apart from other plastics marketed as biodegradable. Microplastics are a global contaminant found in nearly every ecosystem, from the soil and the ocean to the animals and plants that live there. They have even been found in human tissue and the bloodstream, where they likely have adverse effects.

"Lapso"

The Lapso lamp is crafted from bacterial cellulose, a material produced through the fermentation of specific bacteria. Unlike traditional plastics or even paper, bacterial cellulose is both biodegradable and highly versatile.

The lamp’s unique translucent quality comes from the thin, layered sheets of this material, which naturally diffuse light in a soft and soothing way.

Each lamp is handmade, with the cellulose grown in controlled conditions to achieve the desired texture and transparency.

When illuminated, the lamp takes on an ethereal glow that enhances any room with a sense of warmth and natural beauty.

An international team of biotechnologists and evolutionary specialists has discovered three types of bacteria in the human gut that help to break down cellulose. In their project, reported in the journal Science, the group studied the genomes of bacteria found in human and ruminates. For many years, it was believed that the modern human diet had rid the gut of the ability to digest cellulose (the prime component of plant cell walls). But in 2003, a team of researchers discovered a cellulose-eating bacteria in human fecal samples. Since that study, it has not been known whether there are more types of bacteria in the human gut capable of aiding in digesting plant material. In this new study, the research team conducted an exhaustive study of gut bacteria genomes.