Researchers find an ocean-dwelling fungi capable of breaking down plastic waste
HONOLULU, HI (HawaiiNewsNow / AZFamily) - Researchers believe they have discovered a marine fungi that could naturally digest a growing problem in the world’s oceans, plastic waste.
According to researchers with the University of Hawaii at Manoa, more than 60% of the fungi studied were found to digest plastic and convert it into new fungal matter. Researchers even managed to boost the feeding rates of certain fungi by 15% in just a few months.
“Our research highlights marine fungi as a promising and largely untapped resource for recycling and removing plastic from nature,” said Ronja Steinbach, the lead researcher and a marine biology undergraduate at the University of Hawaii.
Steinbach pointed out that very few people study fungi in the ocean, estimating that less than 1% of marine fungi have been described so far.
As it stands, existing technologies struggle to degrade plastic effectively.
Plastic pollution is a significant issue in Hawaii, mainly due to its location in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre—a massive system of rotating ocean currents. This current system traps debris and waste, contributing to the nearby Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which sits between Hawaii and California.
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