Nature Invitation: Dr Ling Jin’s Team Wrote Commentary on Microbial Risks of Plastic Pollution

Nature Invitation: Dr Ling Jin’s Team Wrote Commentary on Microbial Risks of Plastic Pollution

Assistant Professor Dr Ling Jin and his team have been invited by Nature to address the topic of "Microbial Risks of Plastic Pollution", spotlighting the often-overlooked plastisphere microbiomes linked to plastic waste. Their piece of commentary, titled "What Harmful Microbes Are Lurking in the World’s 7 Billion Tonnes of Plastic Waste?”, was published online on 3 October 2024. 

Timed with the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5) in South Korea this November, this publication coincides with global efforts to finalise the UN Plastic Treaty terms, emphasising the critical issue of microbes that thrive on plastics and the biohazard risks they pose. The authoring team, led by Dr Changchao Li, CEE Postdoctoral Fellow supervised by Dr Jin, alongside distinguished scholars worldwide, stresses the importance of recognising and tackling microbial hazards. These insights are pivotal in the on-going battle against plastic pollution on a global scale. 

Nature is the world’s leading multidisciplinary science journal that publishes the finest peer-reviewed research in all fields of science and technology. It is also a platform to ensure that the results of science are rapidly disseminated to the public throughout the world. 

For the original commentary, please refer to:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-03150-6

https://www.polyu.edu.hk/cee/news-and-events/news/2024/20241018_news/