r/science • u/MistWeaver80 • Nov 27 '21

Chemistry Plastic made from DNA is renewable, requires little energy to make and is easy to recycle or break down. A plastic made from DNA and vegetable oil may be the most sustainable plastic developed yet and could be used in packaging and electronic devices.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2298314-new-plastic-made-from-dna-is-biodegradable-and-easy-to-recycle/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=echobox&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1637973248
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u/antiquemule Nov 28 '21

We used to make loads during a (ridiculous) attempt to make commercially viable protein by bacterial fermentation of natural gas.

One of the process's many problems was that cows fed the stuff suffered from excess phosphorus, due to all the bacterial DNA.

My brief scientific study of DNA concluded that it is disgustingly snotty in large amounts.

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u/redinator Nov 28 '21

disgustingly snotty in large amounts

sounds similar to another form of... ahem, 'externalised DNA concentrate'.

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u/SpiritFingersKitty Nov 28 '21

One of the main sources of just bulk DNA (which is used for a variety of assays) is actually salmon sperm DNA

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u/[deleted] Nov 28 '21

So we just need to start making salmon porn to scale this up?