Plastic with Built-In Enzymes Breaks Down in the Deep Sea | Nature

Enzyme-embedded polyesters for accelerated biodegradation in the deep sea First author: QiuYuan Huang Last author: Tadahisa Iwata Journal: Nature Published online: 2026-10-21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-11... Embedding enzymes in compostable polyester films greatly accelerated their breakdown in real marine environments, with three tested materials losing nearly all their mass within five months at a depth of 757 metres. Chemical analyses and coastal-seawater experiments support a pathway from long plastic chains to soluble molecules that marine microbes can use, opening possibilities for materials with reduced environmental persistence.