FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The enzymes in the microorganisms that break down biodegradeable materials don’t recognize the bonds that hold polymers together. Eventually, the polymers in plastic waste may break down, perhaps after hundreds of thousands of years. But when it takes such a long time, the damage is already done to the environment.

Detailed explanation-2: -In this task we need to choose the answer that is correct for the fact that microorganisms cannot break down plastics. Plastic is obtained artificially with chemicals that are not natural. Therefore the correct answer is d. do not occur in nature.

Detailed explanation-3: -The bacteria use the plastic as food first, because it’s easy to break down. The bacteria break down the carbon compounds in plastic to use as food for their growth. The scientists say that enriching waters with particular species of bacteria could be a natural way to remove plastic pollution from the environment.

Detailed explanation-4: -Biodegradation of plastics involves excretion of extracellular enzymes by the microorganism, attachment of enzyme to the surface of plastic, hydrolysis to short polymer intermediates, which are ultimately assimilated by microbial cells as carbon source to release CO2.

Detailed explanation-5: -Bacteria which have been shown to degrade and assimilate plastic, has been a key area of international research since 2016. Now a University of Manchester-based team of scientists have made a biotechnological breakthrough which may help humans to call on engineered bacteria cells to reduce our plastic waste.