A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has recently developed a microbial strain capable of producing a pseudoaromatic polyester monomer to replace PET in packaging using systems metabolic engineering.The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, highlights the production of pseudoaromatic dicarboxylic acids that possess better physical properties and enhanced biodegradability compared to PET. These monomers, when synthesized as polymers, have the potential to address long-standing concerns over plastic pollution as eco-friendly substitutes.
