Once plastic products are used and discarded, they can linger in oceans, collecting in large "garbage patches" and harming sea life. One potential solution, a biodegradable polymer called polylactide (PLA), has so far not fully lived up to its promise, showing little sign of breakdown once in seawater.
RNA is a nucleic acid that converts DNA instructions into cellular functions, and it can be easily broken down by water through transesterification. Transesterification is an organic reaction that displaces alcohol from an ester through the action of another alcohol.
Reducing plastic pollution by adding RNA-inspired breaking points acs.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from acs.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.