UNAM researchers identify microorganisms that degrade plastics

A group of researchers led by Herminia Loza Tavera identified microorganisms capable of degrading plastics more effectively.

The researcher at the School of Chemistry of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) said that foam rubber mattresses or shoe soles are made of high-resistance plastics that can hardly be recycled and that filamentous fungi are able to degrade up to 50% of these materials.

She added that some bacteria found by her team are also capable of degrading various types of polyurethane.