Water soluble plastic: Scientists in Japan have developed a very unique and revolutionary plastic which dissolves completely in sea water in a few hours. This discovery is considered a major achievement towards the solution of plastic problem polluting the seas. Researchers at Wako city near Tokyo showed this plastic demo in the laboratory, where a small piece disappeared completely within an hour after putting it in saltwater.

This plastic has been prepared by scientists at Riken Center for Emergent Matter Science and Tokyo University. The special feature of this new substance is that it ends several times rapidly than traditional biodegradable plastic and after that no one leaves any poisonous remains.

Packaging industry will benefit

Although no official announcement has been made on the commercial use of this plastic, but according to the lead scientist Takuzo Eida, many areas including the packaging industry have shown tremendous interest in this technology. Plastic pollution has become one of the most serious environmental problems in the world today. According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), by 2040, the seas can reach 2.3 to 3.7 million metric tonnes of plastic waste every year. Keeping this in mind, scientists from all over the world are constantly engaged in finding new measures to deal with this crisis. This discovery of Japanese scientists has brought a great hope in this direction.

Salt is effective in water

Takuzo Eida says that this new material is as strong as traditional petroleum-based plastic but when it is poured into salt water, it breaks into its original chemical components. Later they are completely destroyed by natural bacteria found in the environment, which ends the possibility of becoming microplastic.

Eida also told that because salt is also present in the soil, this plastic starts to break on its own within about 200 hours. Not only this, this plastic is completely non-toxic, non-flammable and no carbon dioxide is released even when it burns or decomposes it.

This new material behaves like traditional plastic, especially when it is used with a coating. At present, scientists are trying to find what the best way to coat it can be so that its practical use can be made easier.

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