Salmon sperm used by Chinese scientists to create eco-friendly plastic

Plastic is widely used in modern day all over the world and its use are huge! For eg, it is used for wrapping, packing and carrying bags. It has also been proved that it is an environmental hazard which can have long term harmful effects. Furthermore, as plastic takes decades to degrade and only a small percentage of it is recycled, the majority of it is burnt or disposed of in landfills.

Plastics have a lot of drawbacks, and their use can lead to significant consequences. One of the most serious problems posed by plastics is that they harm our environment in a variety of ways. According to The New York Times, Chinese scientists have developed a new environment-friendly plastic created from salmon sperm.

The researchers mixed two short strands of sperm DNA with a compound produced from vegetable oil that binds the DNA strands together. The result is a soft, spongy substance known as hydrogel.

The gel is then moulded into various forms and freeze-dried to eliminate moisture, causing the gel to solidify. The researchers have previously made a cup and a DNA molecule out of environment-friendly plastic. Despite the fact that the scientists utilised salmon sperm as a starting point, the DNA contains the genetic information for all living things on the planet. A 2015-study had stated that there are around 50 billion DNA on the planet. As a result, plastic might be created from sustainable sources such as agricultural waste, algae or bacteria.

A lot of effort has gone into finding plastic alternatives that are less harmful to the environment. Biodegradable polymers have previously been made with ingredients such as cornstarch and algae. These plastics, which needs a huge amount of heat and are difficult to recycle.

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The sperm-based plastic can be recycled using water which means that it would need to be kept dry. Several coatings would be applied to make it waterproof, making it more difficult to recycle. However, the researchers believe that sperm-based plastic may be utilised for goods like electronics and packaging that are kept dry.