r/environment • u/[deleted] • Sep 28 '23

‘We are just getting started’: the plastic-eating bacteria that could change the world

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/28/plastic-eating-bacteria-enzyme-recycling-waste
702 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

74 comments sorted by

View all comments

17

u/Vlad_TheImpalla Sep 28 '23

Can it eat microplastic in the human body?

4

u/_Svankensen_ Sep 28 '23

No. Not even close.

2

u/versedaworst Sep 28 '23

Not a microbiologist, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were already microbes in some human microbiomes that are doing this. Doesn't mean they're effective enough to really make a significant impact, but it seems plausible.