A Circular System for Bioplastics Production and Consumption

生物降解塑料提供了一种新的寿命终止管理选择-解聚成单体结构单元，再合成为新材料。这将把生物塑料引入生产-使用-回收的循环系统。虽然人们正在投入大量精力开发新的生物塑料材料，但在生物降解塑料的寿命终止管理方面存在研究空白和市场机会。本项目的目标是开发脂肪族聚酯、聚乳酸（PLA）和聚羟基烷酸酯（PHA）的生物回收系统。具体来说，该项目将确定和工程酶的工业解聚的PLA和PHA成单体积木适合再合成。

Biodegradable plastics offer a new end-of-life management option - depolymerizing into monomeric building blocks for re-synthesis into new material. This will introduce bioplastics into the circular system of produce-use-recycle. While significant effort is being invested into developing new bioplastics material, there is a research gap and market opportunity in the end-of-life management of biodegradable plastics. The goal of this project is to develop a biological recycling system for aliphatic polyesters, polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). Specifically, this project will identify and engineer enzymes for industrial depolymerization of PLA and PHA into monomeric building blocks suitable for re-synthesis.