AI Article Synopsis
- Enzymatic degradation can help lessen the environmental damage caused by plastics, yet effective enzymes for breaking down polyurethanes have been elusive despite extensive research.
- Researchers discovered urethanases from a soil metagenome library that had been in contact with polyurethane waste, which can hydrolyze urethane bonds in polyether-polyurethane foams.
- This urethanase was successfully applied in a chemoenzymatic recycling process, allowing for the breakdown of dicarbamates from polyether-polyurethane foam, showcasing its potential for widespread use in recycling various polyurethane wastes.
Article Abstract
Enzymatic degradation and recycling can reduce the environmental impact of plastics. Despite decades of research, no enzymes for the efficient hydrolysis of polyurethanes have been reported. Whereas the hydrolysis of the ester bonds in polyester-polyurethanes by cutinases is known, the urethane bonds in polyether-polyurethanes have remained inaccessible to biocatalytic hydrolysis. Here we report the discovery of urethanases from a metagenome library constructed from soil that had been exposed to polyurethane waste for many years. We then demonstrate the use of a urethanase in a chemoenzymatic process for polyurethane foam recycling. The urethanase hydrolyses low molecular weight dicarbamates resulting from chemical glycolysis of polyether-polyurethane foam, making this strategy broadly applicable to diverse polyether-polyurethane wastes.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.202216220 | DOI Listing |
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