A researcher from Porto developed a modified enzyme capable of degrading shoe sole plastic. The enzyme was genetically altered to improve its ability to decompose plastic materials.
The modified version of the enzyme proved to be approximately 20 times more effective at degrading polyurethane than the unmodified original enzyme. This result represents a significant advance in the ability to break down this type of plastic material.
In the tests carried out, the enzyme managed to decompose 1.4% of shoe sole foam over three days. Although this may seem like a small percentage, it represents important progress in the fight against plastic pollution, particularly materials that are difficult to recycle such as those found in shoe soles.
