Critical advances and future opportunities in upcycling commodity polymers

An ultrasensitive nanofiber-based assay for enzymatic hydrolysis and deep-sea microbial degradation of cellulose

“…It is estimated that more than 10 7 tons of plastic are discharged into the global ocean each year and 99% of it ends up in the deep sea ( Kane et al., 2020 ). Given that the annual production of cellulose (10 11 tons) ( Percival Zhang et al., 2006 ) far outstrips that of plastic (10 8 tons) ( Jehanno et al., 2022 ), it is likely that an enormous amount of cellulose of terrestrial origin settles in the deep sea and nourishes microbial ecosystems. Unique features that were predicted for cellulolytic enzymes from the isolated bacterium GE09, such as cell-membrane-associated cellulases with unknown domain structures, also suggest that the previously undetectable, and therefore undiscovered, genetic diversity in the deep sea is a promising pool for prospecting cellulolytic enzymes.…”

From plastic waste to new materials for energy storage

“…Besides, other considerations must be taken into account such as the possible pollution of the process or the quality of the final products in early stages and should be critically evaluated for a proper valorisation of plastic waste. 6…”

“…Besides, other considerations must be taken into account such as the possible pollution of the process or the quality of the final products in early stages and should be critically evaluated for a proper valorisation of plastic waste. 6 The energy sector faces numerous challenges to reach a circular economy for energy storage devices. At the same time, these challenges bring new opportunities, and exciting discoveries would certainly raise on the transformation of plastic wastes onto new materials for energy devices which will be facilitated by performant and unique catalysis.…”

Closing the Carbon Loop in the Circular Plastics Economy

“…Several comprehensive reviews have addressed recent progress in the upcycling and waste-to-wealth transformation of waste plastics. [458,520,[562][563][564][565][566][567] The wide spectrum of upgraded materials derived from plastic wastes spans specialty chemicals, clean fuels, lubricants, waxes, surfactants, proton exchange membranes, energy storage materials, filters, asphalt modifiers, coating and adhesive intermediates, carbon fillers, graphene, and carbon nanotubes. Organic wastes, among them plastics and biomass, are recognized as attractive sources of hydrogen and value-added carbonaceous materials.…”