Submission Date

4-28-2025

Document Type

Paper- Restricted to Campus Access

Department

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Adviser

Eric Williamsen

Committee Member

Eric Williamsen

Committee Member

Anthony Lobo

Committee Member

Teresa Ko

Department Chair

Eric Williamsen

Department Chair

Anthony Lobo

Project Description

Globally each year, 350 million tons of plastic waste are produced, and plastic waste is increasing with no completely effective methods to decrease the amount. Plastic waste harms animals, ecosystems, and humanity. Microbes with PETase have been reported to degrade plastics, and in a collaborative research project, we are studying whether mesophilic or thermophilic microbes can effectively degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET). As part of this project, we have been developing methods using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with molecular absorption or mass spectroscopic detection for the separation and quantization of common PET-degradation products such as ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate, and mono(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalic acid. We have developed GC and HPLC separation methods and are optimizing the mass spectroscopic detection parameters to decrease quantization limits.

Comments

We would like to thank the Clemens Fellowship for providing funding.

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