#earthhack US based, Josh McGinnis, a senior full-stack engineer and an indie scientist, has successfully tested an marine plastic-eating fungus -Parengyodontium album- on terrestrial plastic waste. The test illustrates the potential applications of biodegradation processes to manage earth-bound plastic pollution.
Intrigued, Josh McGinnis discovered he already possessed a similar strain in his personal collection. This prompted him to experiment with this fungus on common plastic waste encountered on land.
Josh McGinnis’s approach involved a simple yet ingenious method. He began by subjecting a plastic Walmart bag to UV pretreatment, a necessary step to make the plastic susceptible to fungal colonisation.
After treating the bag, he inoculated it with the fungal strain and observed the colonisation process. Remarkably, within three days, the fungus had aggressively covered the plastic, demonstrating a clear preference for polyethylene surfaces over other substrates.
Source: Josh McGinnis Plastic being consumed b y fungus.
This experiment not only confirmed the fungus's ability to adapt to different environments but also underscored its potential to address the pervasive problem of plastic waste in non-marine settings. Josh McGinnis’s findings are consistent with recent research published in ScienceDirect, which explores similar themes of microbial degradation of plastics and opens new pathways for biotechnological applications in waste management.
Source: Josh McGinnis Plastic being consumed b y fungus.
Excited by the preliminary results, Josh McGinnis is now focused on further validating this discovery. 'I envision large-scale applications where fungal strains are employed in facilities designed to process and degrade plastic waste effectively. The ultimate goal is to integrate this biological solution into mainstream waste management systems to mitigate the environmental impact of plastic pollution', Josh McGinnis told planetfood.news
As he pursues further studies and seeks collaboration for commercialisation, Josh McGinnis’s work could represent a significant step forward in utilising biotechnology to solve environmental crises. His experiment bridges the gap between marine and terrestrial ecosystems in the fight against plastic waste, offering hope for innovative, sustainable solutions.
For further information and to support this initiative, Josh McGinnis encourages interested parties to reach out directly to collaborate on this promising environmental solution. CLICK HERE for his LinkedIn page - Josh's website CLICK HERE
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