Animals beyond microbes can digest bioplastics, revealing a hidden carbon diet
A Max Planck study shows that not only microorganisms but a wide range of animals can break down microbial bioplastics. The marine worm Olavius algarvensis produces an enzyme that degrades polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), enabling it to harvest carbon from these materials, and similar enzymes were found in over 66 other species, including starfish and earthworms. This expands our understanding of plastic carbon cycling and suggests animals have long fed on microbial bioplastics. PHAs are biodegradable plastics used across medicine, packaging and agriculture, and bioplastic production is forecast to grow substantially by 2030.