Using a novel technology to turn marine debris into high-value products as a tool to protect coastal communities
The ubiquity of plastic in today’s culture has contributed to it being one of the most serious ocean pollution issues of the 21st century. It is important to address the issue of marine debris along many points in the plastic cycle, including prevention. For plastic that has already made it to the ocean environment, it is critical to find solutions to remove and repurpose it before it is broken down into microplastic.
For this multidisciplinary project, USC Sea Grant has partnered with researchers at the Wrigley Institute for Environmental and Sustainability, the USC Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the USC Department of Chemistry, and the USC Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science.
This project will collect local marine debris in Southern California and leverage the team’s newly invented hybrid chemical/biological approach to recapture the carbon and energy embedded in these waste materials (specifically polyethylene, polystyrene, and nylon). Using this novel process, the materials will be converted into high-value molecules and biomaterials to produce dyes for eco-friendly fashion and enzymes for sustainable laundry detergents. This solution will decrease marine debris and produce products that will ultimately increase water quality.
Equally important as the biochemistry, the project will investigate the psychology of how and why people make eco-conscious choices. The project will examine social barriers to adopting such trash-derived products in the marketplace and familiarize public audiences about these emerging technologies through an integrated educational outreach program.
Principal Investigators:
- Clay C. C. Wang, Ph.D., University of Southern California
- Travis J. Williams, Ph.D., University of Southern California
- Karla Heidelberg, Ph.D., USC Sea Grant, University of Southern California
- Joe Árvai, Ph.D., Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability, University of Southern California
- Richard W. Roberts, Ph.D., University of Southern California
Funding:
NOAA Marine Debris Challenge Competition Program, 2024-2026 (NOAA National Sea Grant Program, through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act)
