Relationships of crystallinity and reaction rates for enzymatic degradation of poly (ethylene terephthalate), PET.

Biocatalytic degradation of plastic waste is anticipated to play an important role in future recycling systems. However, enzymatic degradation of crystalline poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) remains consistently poor. Herein, we employed functional assays to elucidate the molecular underpinnings of this limitation.

Purification and biochemical characterization of SM14est, a PET-hydrolyzing enzyme from the marine sponge-derived sp. SM14.

The successful enzymatic degradation of polyester substrates has fueled worldwide investigation into the treatment of plastic waste using bio-based processes. Within this realm, marine-associated microorganisms have emerged as a promising source of polyester-degrading enzymes. In this work, we describe the hydrolysis of the synthetic polymer PET by SM14est, a polyesterase which was previously identified from sp.

A new continuous assay for quantitative assessment of enzymatic degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET).

Enzymatic degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has emerged as a promising route for ecofriendly biodegradation of plastic waste. Several discontinuous activity assays have been developed for assessing PET hydrolyzing enzymes, usually involving manual sampling at different time points during the course of the enzymatic reaction. In this work, we present a novel, compartmentalized UV absorbance assay for continuous detection of soluble hydrolysis products released during enzymatic degradation of PET.