THERE may finally be
an answer to disposing off the
scourge of
environment:
plastics. Researchers
at the National
institute of
Bioscience and Human
Technology in Japan
have homed in on
wro bacteria that
decompose polyvinyl
allcohol (PvA) and
polylactic acid.
PvA is used in
textile mills largely
to
prevent fibres from
fraying. It is unpopWar with
environmentalists
because it
does not decompose
naturally, though
can easily be
washed away. The new
found bacteria
discovered in collabo
sedan with chemical
producer Rakuto
K&sei Industrial Co
provides an ideal
ionswer to dealing
with PVA because
Illwy can completely
decompose it in
ancentrations of 0.2
per cent in merely
four days. Polylactic
acid is less environmentally belligerent
and is best tackled
IV the second new
bacteria, discovered
Jaiinfly with
researchers from the
8nWersity of Tsukuba,
which can demmi4xise 30 per cent
of it in four days.
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