Northern Suburbs Branch, 15 October 2025
Our speaker, PhD Candidate Anna Faber, began her science education in Germany and transitioned into a teaching career, travelling from Germany to Sweden and the UK. Eventually deciding that research was her real interest, she found herself in Perth. With a background in microbiology, working with bacteria set her on the path to examine bacteria that can break down plastics.
At our current rate of plastic pollution, it is estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than marine life. Plastics can be found at many points around our coast and rivers. Bacteria are all around us, in our gut, on our skin and in marine environments. Anna explained that there are bacteria with enzymes that can break down large molecules, such as cutin and cellulose, into smaller molecules, aiding in plant digestion by animals. It was therefore necessary to find enzymes that could break down the long-chain polymers that make up PET plastic and then produce them in the laboratory.
Anna collected waste plastics from many marine areas around Western Australia and looked for associated bacteria.
The broken polymer is no longer plastic and can be used to produce biodegradable plastic alternatives. The process involves inserting the gene for the enzyme, cutting the PET molecule into the plasmid of a bacteria, and utilising the bacteria’s ability to produce large amounts of these enzymes quickly. This can lead to the production of bioplastics, and Anna had some samples to show us from her lab. This, of course, is not the whole answer to plastic pollution. Reducing, recycling, and reusing should be our first actions.
Anna thanked her colleagues, collaborators, industry partners, the UWA and all funding bodies for their support. Australia is one of many countries doing such research.
We invited Anna after we came across her presentation at the Pint of Science event. Visit their website to access articles, blogs, and information about upcoming events for next year https://pintofscience.com.au.
Willy Dadour