Page 67 - Plastics News May 2017

TECHNOLOGY

New system helps real-time Caterpillar with a taste for plastic

monitoring, characterisation, could help reduce pollution by
control of polymer properties eating discarded waste

for medical applications
cientists have discovered that the larvae of the greater
utomatic Continuous Online Monitoring of Polymerisation Swax moth appear to enjoy munching on plastics. Dr
AReactions (ACOMP) is a smart manufacturing system Federica Bertocchini, from the Institute of Biomedicine
that continuously monitors and characterises critical and Biotechnology of Cantabria. This moth that
polymer properties during polymerisation reactions and prefers plastic
post-processing steps. The advantage of continuously t o pu llove rs
analysing the process in real time allows for faster could help solve
and more precise control of production. If there is an the problem
issue in production and an o f dis car ded
adjustment is not made shopping bags
in a timely manner, the and packaging,
reaction may produce a r es ear cher s
polymer batch that is off- believ e. T he
spec or unusable. larvae of the greater wax moth normally thrive on

The underlying technology beeswax, making them a hated enemy of bee keepers
f o r the co mpany’s across Europe. But a chance discovery has shown that
automatic continuous they will also happily munch on plastic- placing them
online monitoring of polymer reactions (ACOMP) product in a plastic bag quickly leave it riddled with holes.
line, was developed in Prof. Reed’s lab over the past 16 Understanding how the larvae eat plastic could provide
years. The commercialization of this technology allows a biotechnological method of disposing of bags and
manufacturers to monitor fundamental polymer properties packaging, a major source of land and sea pollution,
continuously during the reaction enabling much more say scientists. Dr Paolo Bombelli, a member of the
efficient control over the quality of the product and the international team from Cambridge University, said: “If
use of production, feedstock and energy inputs. a single enzyme is responsible for this chemical process,
its reproduction on a large scale using biotechnological
Advanced Polymer Monitoring Technologies, Inc. (APMT), a methods should be achievable. This discovery could
spin-out company based on Tulane University technology, be an important tool for helping to get rid of the
has released two products for polymer and biotechnology polyethylene plastic waste accumulated in landfill sites
applications. APMT entered into an exclusive license and oceans. The caterpillars, known as “wax worms”,
agreement with Tulane for a number of patents and are commercially bred for fishing bait and in the wild live
patent applications invented by Prof. Wayne F. Reed, as parasites in bee colonies. Dr Bertocchini - a member
Director, Tulane Center for Polymer Reaction Monitoring of the research team from Spain, who happens to keeps
and Characterization (PolyRMC). APMT’s other product bees, spotted their penchant for plastic while removing
line, Argen, is a 16 channel light scattering tool that the pests from her hives. In a follow-up test conducted
enables researchers and manufacturers to rapidly and in Cambridge, 100 wax worms were let loose on a plastic
continuously monitor the stability of their products under bag from the British supermarket. Holes began to appear
varying stressor conditions. Argen applications include after just 40 minutes, and over a period of 12 hours 92mg
characterization of biopharmaceutical stability, polymer of plastic was consumed. The caterpillars worked much
degradation, and stability of other formulations such as faster than bacteria, which in previous experiments took
paints, electronic materials and nano-particle suspensions. a day to biodegrade just 0.13mg of plastic.
The technology enabling the Argen product line was also
developed by Prof. Reed’s team at Tulane.

67 May 2017 | Plastics News