Team:Imperial College/BioPlastic Recycling: PLA

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        <h1>Recycling PLA</h1>
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        <h3 id="overview">Overview</h3>
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<li>FIX ME</li>
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<li><a href="#overview"><i class="icon-chevron-right"></i> Overview</a></li>
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<p> The bioplastic recycling module will look at closing the loop on bioplastics before they even begin to gain traction as a viable and more desirable plastic. We will be looking at degrading and synthesising polylactic acid (PLA) and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB) using a fully biological system. The byproducts from the breakdown of our bioplastics will be separated then purified in order to allow them to be reused in industry</p>
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[[File:SynthesisIC.jpg|thumbnail|left|600px|A diagrammatic representation of our P3HB recycling system]]
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<p>Polylactic acid (PLA) is for the most part, a chemically derived aliphatic polyester. PLA can be moulded into a product and is used as a feedstock in 3D printing. The bioplastic has high strength and is a thermoplastic. It represents a growing market within the plastic industry, one which will inevitably require degradation at a recycling plant [http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/4048/PDF]. Currently only tentative pilot studies have been made towards engineering a biological mechanism to enhance degradation. We thus intend to use shredded PLA as a feedstock to breakdown this bioplastic, with enzymes capable of breaking both L- and D- enantiomeric bonds.</p>
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<h1>Recyling Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate</h1>
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<p>Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate(P3HB) is a bioplastic, more specifically it is a polyester which is naturally produced inside bacteria such as Alcaligenes eutrophus. It is used as an energy store by these bacteria(1). It appears as globules inside the cell. PHB as a plastic has benefits over those derived from oils; it is produced from renewable resources which minimise the amount of fossil fuels required in plastic production(2,3) and can also biodegrade to non-toxic compounds which can be used as an energy source by organisms commonly found in the environment(4). Physically P3HB has properties which allow it to be used as a replacement for oil based plastics for some application e.g packaging(5) such as .</p>
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<p> We have made P3HB in E.coli and developed a system by which it can be recycled when products made from it come to the end of their life. In order to make P3HB we transferred three genes, naturally found in Ralstonia eutropha into E.coli MG1655. These encode the three enzymes necessary for P3HB production; polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase(phaC), 3-ketothiolase(phaA) and acetoacetyl coenzyme A reductase(phaB). These exist as a P3HB producing operon. We have tried to genetically maximise the production of P3HB as high yields are required for P3HB to be economically viable.</p>
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<b>References</b>
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<p><small>phaC, which encodes the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase, phaA, which encodes a 3-ketothiolase, and phaB, which encodes an acetoacetyl coenzyme A (acetoacetyl-CoA) reductase.</small></p>
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<p>[1] http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/4048/PDF </p>
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        <h2 id="specification">Specification</h2>
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        <p>Our bacteria should be able to resist any potential toxicities that are associated with PLA or L-Lactic Acid</p>
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        <p>Our bacteria should be able to degrade PLA</p>
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        <h2 id="modelling">Modelling</h2>
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        <h2 id="design">Design</h2>
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        MSDS sheets for relevant compounds e.g. L-Lactic acid
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Latest revision as of 23:22, 23 September 2013

Contents

Recycling PLA

Overview

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The bioplastic recycling module will look at closing the loop on bioplastics before they even begin to gain traction as a viable and more desirable plastic. We will be looking at degrading and synthesising polylactic acid (PLA) and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (P3HB) using a fully biological system. The byproducts from the breakdown of our bioplastics will be separated then purified in order to allow them to be reused in industry

A diagrammatic representation of our P3HB recycling system

Polylactic acid (PLA) is for the most part, a chemically derived aliphatic polyester. PLA can be moulded into a product and is used as a feedstock in 3D printing. The bioplastic has high strength and is a thermoplastic. It represents a growing market within the plastic industry, one which will inevitably require degradation at a recycling plant [http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/4048/PDF]. Currently only tentative pilot studies have been made towards engineering a biological mechanism to enhance degradation. We thus intend to use shredded PLA as a feedstock to breakdown this bioplastic, with enzymes capable of breaking both L- and D- enantiomeric bonds.


References

[1] http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/download/4048/PDF

Specification

Our bacteria should be able to resist any potential toxicities that are associated with PLA or L-Lactic Acid

Our bacteria should be able to degrade PLA

Modelling

Design

Results

Protocols

Safety

       MSDS sheets for relevant compounds e.g. L-Lactic acid

Our Sponsors

TueSponsorsEppendorf.png 125px Invitrogen.jpg Geneart.jpg CSynBI.JPG

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