These mushrooms eat plastic from a German lake

STORY: These fungi eat plastic.

:: Neuglobsow, Germany

Scientists have analyzed how microfungi behave in this lake in northeast Germany…

And I’ve seen that they benefit from certain plastics when there is no other carbon source.

Of 18 varieties, four were particularly “hungry”.

Hans-Peter Grossart: “Our fungi were able to grow exclusively on some of the synthetic polymers and even form biomass there. This is extraordinary because it clearly shows that these fungi are quite capable of breaking down these synthetic polymers.”

It is hoped that these findings could help solve the problem of annual marine pollution caused by millions of tons of garbage.

:: This Earth

The team believes that the microbial plastic destroyers could be used in facilities with controlled conditions, such as wastewater treatment plants.

Polyurethane in particular, which is used to produce construction foam, could be easily utilized by the so-called “hungry” varieties.

Polyethylene, which is used in plastic bags and packaging, took longer to degrade.

Fungi had the hardest time dealing with microplastics from tire abrasion, which was mainly caused by additives such as heavy metals.

However, scientists warn that reducing global plastic consumption will require more than mushrooms.

“I would suggest producing less plastic and releasing less plastic into the environment.”

The head of the research group is Hans-Peter Grossart.

:: Hans-Peter Grossart, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries

“I don’t think this would be a final solution because adding more of something to an environment would cause additional problems and potentially destroy the entire ecosystem.”

Grossart believes the fungi have adapted to the enormous amounts of plastic carbon in the environment.

Their enzyme activity depends strongly on external conditions such as temperature or micronutrients.

According to an association of European plastics producers, around 430 million tonnes of plastic were produced worldwide in 2021.

This is an increase from nearly 2 million US tons in 1950.

Worldwide, less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled.