In-Situ Product Removal for the Enzymatic Depolymerization of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) via a Membrane Reactor

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a common single-use plastic and a major contributor to plastic waste. PET upcycling through enzymatic depolymerization has drawn significant interests, but lack of robust enzymes in acidic environments remains a challenge. This study investigates in-situ product...

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Veröffentlicht in:ChemSusChem 2024-11, p.e202400698
Hauptverfasser: Ayafor, Christian, Chang, Allen C, Patel, Akanksha, Abid, Umer, Xie, Dongming, Sobkowicz, Margaret J, Wong, Hsi-Wu
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a common single-use plastic and a major contributor to plastic waste. PET upcycling through enzymatic depolymerization has drawn significant interests, but lack of robust enzymes in acidic environments remains a challenge. This study investigates in-situ product removal (ISPR) of protons and monomers from enzymatic PET depolymerization via a membrane reactor, focusing on the ICCG variant of leaf branch compost cutinase. More than two-fold improvements in overall PET depolymerization and terephthalic acid yields were achieved employing ISPR for an initial PET loading of 10 mg  ml . The benefit of ISPR was reduced for a lower initial loading of 1 mg  ml due to decreased need for pH stabilization of the enzyme-containing solutions. A back-of-envelop analysis suggests that at a modest dilution ratio, ISPR could help achieve savings on caustic base solutions used for pH control in a bioreactor. Our study provides valuable insights for future ISPR developments for enzymatic PET depolymerization, addressing the pressing need for more sustainable solutions towards plastic recycling and environmental conservation.
ISSN:1864-5631
1864-564X
1864-564X
DOI:10.1002/cssc.202400698