Plastic-Producing Bacteria

San Diego-based Genomatica has developed a microorganism that could replace the need for petroleum in the process to make some plastics. They genetically engineered E.Coli bacteria to consumer sugar and produce plastic without the use of oil or natural gas. The process takes place under normal pressure and temperatures, which drastically cuts it energy use.

clipped from sustainablog.org Genomatica Turns Bacteria Into Plastic San Diego-based scientists at Genomatica have developed the ability to manipulate bacteria into being useful to feed our societal lust for plastics, by producing “butanediol (BDO), a chemical compound used to make everything from spandex to car bumpers, thereby providing a more energy-efficient way of making it without oil or natural gas,” the article says. clipped from www.genomatica.com clipped from www.sciam.com scientific american Turning Bacteria into Plastic Factories GOOD BACTERIA: Genetically engineered E. coli may produce plastics, thereby eliminatiing the need to use fossil fuels. ©Linda Stewart/istockphoto.com Cost will be the ultimate factor in whether this someday becomes a widely used plastic-making process; Genomatica says it's not sure how much its E. coli–produced BDO will cost, noting that results thus far have been confined to the lab.

Related:
Genomatica Turns Bacteria Into Plastic : Sustainablog
Welcome to Genomatica | Home
Turning Bacteria into Plastic Factories: Scientific American
Genomatica Develops Method to Replace Oil in Plastic-Making Process : CleanTechnica
Inhabitat » Scientists Develop Plastic-Producing Bacteria
Genomatica develops novel bioplastic | Cleantech Group