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NDTV
7 hours ago
- Science
- NDTV
Japanese Scientists Develop Plastic That Vanishes In Seawater
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Japanese scientists create a new plastic that dissolves quickly in seawater without residue. This plastic matches the strength of traditional petroleum-based materials but breaks down safely. While non-toxic and beneficial for soil, it requires careful management to avoid ecosystem overload. Japanese scientists have developed a new type of plastic that dissolves quickly in seawater, leaving no harmful residue, potentially offering a breakthrough in dealing with ocean pollution. Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo developed the new plastic material that has the strength of conventional petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. "This new plastic is a culmination of his three decades of pioneering work as an expert in materials called supramolecular polymers," the researchers highlighted. As per project lead Takuzo Aida, his team sought to discover a combination of compounds that would create a supramolecular material with good mechanical strength, but that can break down quickly under the right conditions into non-toxic compounds and elements. After going through a series of compounds, the researchers settled upon a combination of sodium hexametaphosphate (a common food additive) and guanidinium ion-based monomers (used for fertilisers and soil conditioners). "Screening molecules can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. But we found the combination early on, which made us think, 'This could actually work'," said Mr Aida. The researchers revealed that the new material leaves behind nitrogen and phosphorus, which microbes can metabolise and plants can absorb. It is non-toxic for humans, has fire-resistant capabilities and does not release carbon dioxide. However, Mr Aida cautioned that despite the benefits, careful management was required. "While these elements can enrich soil, they could also overload coastal ecosystems with nutrients, which are associated with algal blooms that disrupt entire ecosystems." Menace of microplastics Microplastics, the tiny pieces of plastic smaller than five millimetres, have been spotted, ranging from the Mariana Trench to Mount Everest. They are found in human brains, placentas, and the bellies of fish deep in the ocean. Scientists have demanded that a global emergency be declared as microplastic pollution poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of all life on the planet.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Science
- Express Tribune
Japanese scientists develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours
Listen to article Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day, taking place on June 5. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tons of waste into the world's oceans each year. "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with the best possible environment," Aida said. Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about five centimetres (two inches) in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours, he added. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team is focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide, he added. The discovery was announced just ahead of World Environment Day, marked annually on June 5th, with this year's theme once again focusing on Beat Plastic Pollution. The global observance highlights the urgent need for action to reduce plastic waste, which continues to pose significant threats to ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. This year's theme reinforces the growing push for sustainable alternatives and solutions to combat the widespread environmental damage caused by plastic pollution. As part of the global effort, World Environment Day aims to raise awareness about the devastating impact of plastic waste and encourages governments, businesses, and individuals to take proactive steps to address the issue. With plastic pollution becoming one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, this year's observance is a timely reminder of the collective responsibility to preserve the planet for future generations.
Al Etihad
3 days ago
- Science
- Al Etihad
Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours
4 June 2025 19:01 WAKO, Japan (Reuters) Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day taking place on June 5. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tons of waste into the world's oceans each year. Takuzo Aida, Group Director at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, shows the sample of ocean-degradable plastic at the CEMS of Japanese research institution Riken in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, Japan (REUTERS/Manami Yamada) "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with the best possible environment," Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food salt is also present in the soil, a piece about five centimetres (two inches) in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours, he added. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide, he added.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Plastic that dissolves in seawater developed
Researchers from the University of Tokyo was involved in the creation of the new plastic. Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day taking place on June 5. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tons of waste into the world's oceans each year. "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with best possible environment," Aida said. Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about 5cm in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours, he added. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide, he added.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Science
- The Advertiser
Japanese develop plastic that dissolves in seawater
Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day on Thursday. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tonnes of waste into the world's oceans each year. "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with best possible environment," Aida said. Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about five centimetres in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable and doesn't emit carbon dioxide. Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day on Thursday. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tonnes of waste into the world's oceans each year. "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with best possible environment," Aida said. Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about five centimetres in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable and doesn't emit carbon dioxide. Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day on Thursday. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tonnes of waste into the world's oceans each year. "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with best possible environment," Aida said. Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about five centimetres in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable and doesn't emit carbon dioxide. Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. While scientists have long experimented with biodegradable plastics, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo say their new material breaks down much more quickly and leaves no residual trace. At a lab in Wako city near Tokyo, the team demonstrated a small piece of plastic vanishing in a container of salt water after it was stirred up for about an hour. While the team has not yet detailed any plans for commercialisation, project lead Takuzo Aida said their research has attracted significant interest, including from those in the packaging sector. Scientists worldwide are racing to develop innovative solutions to the growing plastic waste crisis, an effort championed by awareness campaigns such as World Environment Day on Thursday. Plastic pollution is set to triple by 2040, the UN Environment Programme has predicted, adding 23-37 million metric tonnes of waste into the world's oceans each year. "Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure that we leave them with best possible environment," Aida said. Aida said the new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain. As salt is also present in soil, a piece about five centimetres in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours. The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods, Aida said. The plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable and doesn't emit carbon dioxide.
