Thank you Baker.
The enzyme was first found in a compost heap in 2012, according to the website Science.
Interdasting.
Mutant enzyme can break down plastic bottles in hours, scientists say
With 1 million bottles sold every minute, the discovery could be a game-changer in the fight to recycle plastic.
Author: TEGNA
Published: 5:27 AM CDT April 10, 2020
Updated: 5:27 AM CDT April 10, 2020
Scientists have reportedly created a mutant bacterial enzyme that can break down plastic bottles in a matter of hours so they can be recycled. The discovery could revolutionize the effort curb plastic waste, much of which ends up in landfills or oceans. The company behind it wants to make it available on a large industrial scale by 2025.
The Guardian reports the enzyme can turn bottles into their chemical building blocks which can then be used to make new, high-quality bottles. The breakthrough is reported in the journal Nature.
The enzyme was first found in a compost heap in 2012, according to the website Science.
Scientists reportedly analyzed the enzyme and added mutations so it could break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. That's the type widely used to make water and soft drink bottles and other common consumer product containers, according to the PET Resin Association.
The team tested the enzyme on plastic bottles. The bottles were degraded by 90% within 10 hours, according to The Guardian. Then the scientists were able to use the degraded plastic to make new plastic bottles that were just as strong as the originals.
Approximately 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute around the world. The ability to break down those bottles and use the plastic again could be a game-changer.
Carbios, the company leading the project, has reportedly already partnered with several major companies including Pepsi to speed up development. Science reports Caribos is building a plant and hopes to recycle hundreds of tons of PET this year.
The Guardian notes that the process may not be as cost-effective as using virgin material because the bottles must first be ground up and heated before the enzyme can be added. That leaves open the possibility that some cost may be passed on to consumers and companies.
Only 8.4% of waste produced in the United States in 2017 was recycled, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. As reported by LiveScience in March, the issue isn't so much that people aren't recycling but that most types of plastics are not recyclable.
The enzyme does not work on other major types of plastics such as polyethylene and polystyrene, according to Science.
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/nation-world/mutant-enzyme-plastic-recycling/287-56624587-c7d5-46e7-961b-ab547a2fcfe2
"I was so much better after one day of taking it," McCraw said. "For me, it was worth it."
'It was worth it': Medication being tested to treat COVID-19 works for Texas woman suspected of having virus
Cami McCraw, 61, was hospitalized for days last month but couldn't get a COVID-19 test at the time due to strict testing criteria.
Author: Matt Howerton
Published: 9:56 PM CDT April 9, 2020
Updated: 9:57 PM CDT April 9, 2020
FORT WORTH, Texas — While physicians, government leaders, and even President Donald Trump turn to the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine in the fight against COVID-19, one Tarrant County woman believed to have contracted the disease in late February says the drug saved her life.
Heavy research now surrounds hydroxychloroquine after some physicians saw success in treating COVID-19 patients with it.
President Trump even said in a news conference earlier this week that 29 million doses have been added to the National Strategic Stockpile, which is a repository of medical supplies used to respond to medical emergencies.
Governor Greg Abbott said Monday that the drug was being used to treat about 30 infected patients residing at the Resort at Texas City, a nursing home in the city where an outbreak occurred.
However, there is not enough proof or data to support the drug's widespread use as a treatment. There are also side effects that could possibly cause long-term vision loss and heart issues.
The drug is primarily used to treat lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and malaria. It is getting attention due to a laboratory study that found it could block COVID-19 from hijacking cells and then replicating within the body.
Cami McCraw forgot she had a bottle of the drug in her house and had no idea it would aid in her fight against COVID-19.
"I was so much better after one day of taking it," McCraw said. "For me, it was worth it."
WFAA first introduced viewers and readers to the KATZ Radio host when she was denied a COVID-19 test by Tarrant County Public Health after being hospitalized with symptoms.
McCraw was formerly with WBAP and other stations in West Texas.
She was even a camera operator at KXAS-TV in the late 80s and early 90s.
Around February 27, McCraw told WFAA that she started having gastrointestinal issues and early symptoms of having the virus.
On March 11, McCraw said she started feeling sick after a scheduled doctor appointment. Five hours later she was in the ER.
McCraw was sent home after her ER visit but was back almost two days later when symptoms worsened. She tested negative for strep and the flu.
She spent the next six days at the hospital before being sent home to be quarantined with her family.
"I was running a 103.6 fever and had an average fever of 101 for 10 days," McCraw said.
McCraw said she had a viral form of pneumonia and also needed oxygen too.
She also said she had aches all the way down to her fingertips. She was given a number of antibiotics, including azithromycin that didn't seem to have an impact.
"It was like having the worst flu, like on steroids," McCraw said. "Worse than anything I'd ever had."
McCraw was denied a test by Tarrant County likely because her symptoms weren't severe enough and due to the fact that testing was scarce last month.
Either way, her physician sent her home and treated her as if she had COVID-19.
He suggested she start taking hydroxychloroquine.
"He wrote me a prescription, but I remembered I had a bottle of it already in my house," McCraw said.
McCraw said she was previously prescribed hydroxychloroquine to help with fibromyalgia but when it wasn't effective, she shelved it.
After taking one dose, McCraw said her health turned around.
"I mean the fever started going down and my appetite came back. I still felt achy and had other issues like being sick to my stomach, but it was unbelievable in just one day," McCraw said.
"I was scared. I was scared of going home with a fever that high. I mean, I was sick for a couple of weeks and then you're talking about feeling better in 24-hours."
Within a few days, McCraw was back to being a DJ on KATZ Radio with her co-host John Roberts.
Hydroxychloroquine is not an endgame in the fight against COVD-19, but it appears it could be a sword when the medical community needs a missile.
While the FDA tests to see its broader impact on patients, McCraw said she credits it to helping her get back on her feet.
"It was worth it," McCraw said. "It was worth it to have that pill to do this."
McCraw is now wanting to thank those in the medical community who helped her recover.
Head to the KATZ website to learn more.
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/i-was-so-much-better-in-one-day-says-suspected-and-hospitalized-covid-19-patient-who-recovered-with-hydroxychloroquine/287-710f175e-7f61-4d99-9681-c878bf773749
Jesus sought to break THROUGH religion. So many cling to it. The greatest tragedy.
Tip for newfags. If you are experiencing the dreaded bread lag. Just go to the bottom of your feed and untick this box. Your worries will be resolved.
In your brown hole.
There was actually a truth buried within that statement. Thanks anon.
You are welcome anon.