Well, given what we know about most commercial plastics, which are all derived from oil/complex hydrocarbons, the consumed plastic could be broken down into condensed carbon? Or would it be carbon gases? I'm speculating based on just what I know about plastics, what they are and how they're made.

[–] eran_morad 21 points 1 month ago

The fungi are likely oxidizing the plastic to CO2, probably via many metabolic intermediates. This is likely driven by the fact that plastics are chemically reduced - a rich source of chemical potential energy. Accessing that energy requires enzymatic conversion to a less reduced state, culminating in the fully oxidized CO2 molecule.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

So, a byproduct of this process is, potentially, greenhouse gases? Yay.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

And some toxic compounds.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago

I've heard living organisms tend to output carbondioxide

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

That's because this narrative is at odds with another environmentalist narrative.

Carbon compounds are oxidized by non plant organisms to form carbon dioxide.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

The resulting material is fungus? That’s how eating works