Jordan Cannon received his bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2017. Jordan attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, to obtain a doctorate in microbiology and is now preparing to defend his dissertation. In his dissertation work, Jordan has focused on the identification, characterization, and protein engineering of bacterial enzymes that can depolymerize PLLA. His research efforts have yielded a diverse catalog of engineered enzymes with potent ability to depolymerize PLLAbased plastics. Jordan plans to apply the enzyme technology he has developed in his doctoral work to reduce plastic waste and help create a sustainable, circular economy for PLLA use.
Represented Organization
Circular Biosciences
Key Innovation
Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is currently the most abundant and widely used bioplastic, with production projected to increase approximately five-fold over the next five years. Due to its limited environmental biodegradability, viable disposal options are needed to prevent PLLA from becoming an environmental pollutant. Unlike petroleum-based plastics, PLLA is not being collected in postconsumer waste for recycling, and as a result, it is destined for landfills and composting facilities. However, bioplastics, including PLLA, are currently banned from composting facilities, such as in the city of Knoxville, making landfilling the only end-of-life option for these plastics. This inaccessibility to composting facilities diminishes PLLA’s value as a biodegradable commodity and eliminates the key benefit it has over non-biodegradable plastics.
Enzymatic depolymerization is a novel, green approach that provides a sustainable solution to assist in the environmental biodegradation of PLLA. Circular Biosciences has developed a catalog of engineered protease enzymes capable of depolymerizing PLLA at ambient temperatures under mild reaction conditions. The company’s current objective is to further engineer a catalog of highly potent PLLA depolymerizing enzymes that can survive elevated temperatures for use in high-temperature applications. Specifically, the company aims to engineer and/or immobilize enzymes that can be integrated into PLLA during the extrusion process. By doing so, the enzymes can be turned into an additive that enhances the biodegradation of PLLA waste destined for landfills, home composting, or the natural environment if mismanaged by consumers.
Leveraging the technical expertise and knowledge at ORNL would allow Circular Biosciences to translate its enzyme technology into a viable product, promoting sustainable management and disposal of PLLA bioplastics.
ORNL Principal Investigator
- Yue Yuan - Distinguished Staff Fellowship Program, Macromolecular Nanomaterials, Physical Sciences Directorate