Animals Found to Digest Natural Bioplastics, Challenging Assumptions

Scientists have revealed that a wide range of animal species possess enzymes capable of breaking down polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a type of microbial bioplastic that has existed in nature for hundreds of millions of years. The discovery overturns the long-held belief that only microorganisms could degrade these biodegradable polymers. Researchers identified dozens of animals with the enzymatic machinery to process PHAs, suggesting that natural ecosystems have been recycling this bioplastic long before human-made plastics entered the environment. This finding highlights the evolutionary adaptation of diverse species to utilize naturally occurring biodegradable materials and provides new insights into the ecological roles of PHAs in ancient and modern ecosystems.